Teaching mindfulness through yoga
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KINGSLEY, PA (WNEP) — One school district in Susquehanna County is trying something new to help students focus during difficult situations in and out of the classroom.
Students filed into the gym inside Mountain View Elementary school on Wednesday, but not for gym class. These kids were there for yoga. It may seem like something new and fun for them, but there’s a bigger plan for the activity in the school.
“We want to show improved behavior plans. We want to show improved education, improved standardized testing by giving kids tools that they can use during the day through yoga and mindfulness,” explained Stephanie Anuszewski, Mountain View director of special services. “We’re hoping to improve the overall health of a child.”
Anuszewski partnered with yoga instructor Chelsea Manganaro who owns Nearme Yoga Studio in Peckville to get this program started.
“If I can affect maybe one or two children and be able to give them some different coping mechanisms or allow them to relax or fall asleep easier, then my job is absolutely done,” Manganaro said.
“I can learn new ways to calm down, and I can learn how to handle my emotions during anything,” said fifth-grader Nichole Anuszewski.
“Kids, if they have stress or something on their mind, they can get it off their mind so they can stay a little calmer than just getting mad about everything,” said sixth-grader Harleigh Holman.
The program was originally intended to cover a small group of students, not necessarily the 150 students they have enrolled now.
“It’s wild! It’s been one year. We started it in September, so not even a year, it’s been six months, and the community support is amazing,” Anuszewski said.
This was the first class of the second half of the school year. The 35-minute program in the Mountain View School District takes place every Wednesday leading up to state testing.
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