Author(s)
Affiliation(s)
ABSTRACT
With rising health issues among children and adolescents in America such as obesity and diabetes, getting physically active becomes ever more important. Yoga, as an ancient system of exercise, has a great potential to teach children to be mindful of factors that impact their health and improve their total well-being. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived benefits of incorporating yoga-based activities into classroom teaching as a result of implementing the Yoga Ed. Tools for Teachers program. One hundred and three physical education and classroom teachers were trained by certified Yoga Ed. instructors for two days. These teachers, in turn, implemented the yoga-based activities for 5 - 15 minutes daily for a year. At the completion of this period, questionnaires from 550 parents and 661 students as well as 103 teachers were analyzed. Triangulation of the data provided solid evidence suggesting that yoga-based activities produced perceived benefits in such areas as mental well-being, social well-being, physical well-being, and daily behaviors. The data analyses also revealed barriers teachers encountered during implementation and what they did to overcome these barriers. The results were discussed with regard to their future implications for yoga programs appropriate for schools in the United States (US).
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