Student teachers are looking to raise money in order to provide yoga classroom kits for Departure Bay Eco-School.
Brittany Leonard, a fifth-year Vancouver Island University bachelor of education student, and some of her colleagues have started a www.gofundme.com page looking to raise $2,000 for yoga mats, books, flash cards and lesson plans. They hope to raise the money by March 10 to implement yoga in time for spring practicum placement.
“A couple of the student teachers and I, we practise it on our own and I’ve been doing research into the benefits of mindfulness and research shows that it’s really great for people’s brains in general and it teaches children how to think of how they’re feeling ... it’s a really good way to manage emotion and anxiety,” said Leonard.
Students can’t learn unless their brains are in a good place, said Leonard.
B.C. schools will be implementing a new curriculum come September, which includes a focus on hands-on learning and the environment. Lisa Frey, Departure Bay principal, said this adheres to those principles.
“In the area of social responsibility and personal awareness, we have a requirement to develop our students’ well-being, to focus on emotional, mental, physical well-being, and so these kids would definitely address that competency that we are working on developing with our students,” said Frey.
If there are extra supplies, they will be handed out to other schools that are interested, said Leonard.
Money raised will also provide a kit to Ladysmith Primary School. For more information, please go to www.gofundme.com/yoga4theclassroom.