holistic movement education

creative movement awareness

 

 

Mandala Philosophy
Outer movement leads to inner movement, inner movement leads to outer movement.

As humans, we connect with our environment through our bodies, our senses. When the movement of our bodies becomes one with the movement of our environment, we are touched by the richness and depth of our happiness.

Happiness – well-being is a feeling that brings us all in our element, our essence, a place of ease in the here and now. It is the power of the invisible that spills over all layers of our being. As children sing often when they are touching their essence:

I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky.

Why movement, play and creativity in Education?

Children:
  • Childhood obesity has tripled in the last 25 years
  • 1/3 of children born after 2001 will develop diabetes
  • Screen attraction: TV, computers, video games, etc.
  • Tight schedules and increasing expectations
 Teachers and Educators:
  • Increasing curriculum and class demands
  • Budget cuts affecting planning and resources
  • Stress, balancing home and life

Meaningful movement experiences are highly beneficial for our physical-emotional-intellectual, spiritual happiness and those experiences shape our lives and the lives of the children.

Yoga/mindfulness is a medium to learn about moving and every movement is an opportunity for learning.

Why integrating a creative holistic movement approach to learning and teaching in Education?

The development of the mind comes through movement.
Maria Montessori

  • Children are kinesthetic learners, connecting with their inner and outer worlds through their bodies and senses
  • Children are social creatures stimulated and motivated by social interactions
  • Healthy relationships are at the heart of high-quality experiences for children
  • We think with our minds, our bodies, our emotions, our feelings, our relationships
  • Children discover their strengths and become responsible for their learning
  • Learning becomes co-creative and is FUN

Creativity is the dynamic nature of intelligence.
Ken Robinson, The Element

A creative holistic movement approach…

  • Increases access to diverse populations
  • Increases motivation as it honors multiple intelligences
  • Allows an easier transfer to daily life
  • Improves class dynamics and school life
  • Integrates easily within class/school themes

 

Why Littlefeet Yoga? Come Play, Create, Cooperate

Play
Educational benefits:
Meaningful context for learning, children explore and reinforce what they alreay know, opportunities for collaborative learning, learning is fun.

Emotional benefits:
Relaxation, releases tension and excess energy.

Developmental benefits:
Creativity, problem-solving, self-esteem, cooperation, conflict resolution, gross and fine motor experiences, concentration.

Create
More participation, retention, ideas, transfer out of school, responsibility for learning.

Cooperate
Connecting with self and others, immediate feedback, freedom to perform.

What Littlefeet Yoga brings to Education:
Quality, Integrity, Learning Transferability

Littlefeet Yoga's movement awareness through yoga + play/create/cooperate =

Students:
Long term interest and involvement in movement and/of sport activities in and out of the school, learning is fun and co-creative, increased physical, intellectual and emotional health, ripple effect in schools, families, communities.

Adults:
Increased knowledge of self as holistic being (body-mind-emotions), increased quality of teaching and interactions with others.
 

What if learning was exciting because we all co-create together through moving to resolve a conflict, moving to learn our multiplication, moving to write a song, moving to care and share, moving to design a sculpture or project, moving to find new ways of playing the game?


The aim of Education is not merely the verbal transmission of abstract knowledge –ideas, theories and information. There is much more to be done than merely sharpening the students' intellectual powers. The body needs as much care and attention as does the mind.
                                                                                Gabor Csepregi, The Clever Body

What children are saying…

Yoga makes me feel happy!
Maia

It was great since it wasn't just yoga, we got to learn about ourselves and express our creativity in many different ways.
                                        Teen Girl

Yoga makes me feel calm and different, I do it at home.
Torey

Please visit the Workshops & Training as well as Yoga in the Schools to creatively engage yourself and your environment in the movement legacy.