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Yoga transforms students’ lives
Yoga transforms students’ lives
Intermediate-aged kids benefit from Tū Manawa funding
Yoga classes are transforming the lives of young people at one school in the Taranaki region.
Waitara鈥檚 Manukorihi Intermediate has been running a programme called 鈥淏eing Me - Kia Maia鈥� through New Plymouth-based Kids Yoga Pod since just before lockdown last year.
It proved so successful that the decile 3 school applied for T奴 Manawa Active Aotearoa funding through Sport Taranaki to enable more students to benefit from the experience.
With funding approved, Manukorihi principal Fiona Low is excited her school, with its roll of 240 with 63 percent M膩ori, can now extend the programme.
鈥淭he kids coming to us now, they鈥檙e not like the kids of 22 years ago when I stepped into the classroom. Their needs are different and we just need to think outside the box a little bit, so offering yoga is a no brainer,鈥� says Fiona.
鈥淥ur mindfulness, our mental health and wellbeing needs to be addressed in many other ways than just your traditional sport. Yoga has the physical, the mental and the emotional elements and that in itself has been a game changer for our children.鈥�
Yoga teacher Lisa McCarron takes small groups of students for an hour-long class each week for six weeks.
During that time they develop strength, co-ordination, flexibility, balance and breathing techniques while having fun but, unlike adult yoga, they also undertake group poses and games to come together, collaborate, work as a team and build trust.
鈥淲e strive to create a fun and engaging space. Our children can come together in unity to grow self-esteem and empower our children to be the best they can be,鈥� says Lisa.
The Manukorihi classes also align with the school鈥檚 values around self-worth, resilience and goal setting.
鈥淭he thing they tell me they love most is the mindfulness at the end where Lisa takes them to a nice quiet place to tune out,鈥� says Fiona
鈥淜ids鈥� lives are so busy that having that little bit of calm they don鈥檛 often get is really important to them.鈥�
Fiona can鈥檛 speak enough of how much of a positive impact the classes are having on her students鈥� health and wellbeing.
In all cases she鈥檚 noticed students have become more confident, settled, interactive, happier in themselves and they鈥檙e even walking taller.
鈥淭hey come back and they鈥檙e saying 鈥業 feel better now I have learned how to manage myself and my emotions鈥� or 鈥業 can use the breathing techniques in class if I get upset鈥� or 鈥楴obody knows I do this in class but I have way more control over myself鈥�.鈥�
