Implementing yoga, mindfulness, and relaxation into the daily school routine has been an important part of my work for over 20 years. Early on, I intuitively started integrating elements of yoga and relaxation into my daily lessons. This happened quite naturally with small moments during morning circle and throughout lessons. Especially when my students’ concentration waned, the small exercises helped and were also fun. Additionally, I regularly offered clubs that took place across different classes and age groups at our school. After my training as a children’s yoga teacher, I also started offering yoga at primary schools. I also developed professional development courses for teachers to show them how easy it is to integrate small moments of mindfulness into the school day. This topic has accompanied me for a long time, and I’ve been able to bring my experience to schools in various ways. The topic gained more and more attention, and I am very happy that it is now a natural part of the curriculum in some schools.

Together with Mona Bekteši, I wrote the book “Mindfulness and Relaxation in School,” which was published in 2023. We developed a four-week program that can be easily integrated into the school day without extra time commitment, offering great added value for students and teachers. Additionally, we jointly offer specialized professional development courses on the topic and have developed a program for trainee teachers to show them ways to deal with challenges and minimize stress during their traineeship. We share the idea of making a difference in schools, bringing not only our yoga experience but also our many years of professional experience as teachers. We know the practicalities and understand what needs to be considered. For strong students, we also need strong teachers who, in addition to formal education, support students in strengthening their resilience and in the area of self-regulation, especially in the socio-emotional domain. School is an important stage of life and should holistically support and strengthen students. We are committed to this and want to make a difference.

In 2024, we designed an online program for trainee teachers and career changers together with Klett Verlag, because the challenges of daily school life also affect teachers. Therefore, it is equally important to us to strengthen them, because strong students need strong role models. Our program is free and aims to support the journey into the teaching profession through various exercises on mindfulness and resilience, as well as with journaling, yoga exercises, and meditations.

Embark on your teaching journey here!

We are also happy to design individual professional development courses on this topic for your school. Get in touch with us!

Find out more about Mona Bekteši and her work here: https://www.yoga-in-der-schule.de/mona-bektesi.php