In fourth grade we are learning new breathing techniques and advancing our yoga practice each week. I have set a particular goal with the fourth grade students this year. We discussed poses that are challenging for kids and how we need to be stronger in order to achieve them. Yoga is a practice that you never actually master, but continue to advance as you grow. Our particular challenge for this year is to get stronger, particularly in our upper body. We are doing a lot of plank variations, half push-ups, cobra poses and other upper body exercises so we can attempt crow pose by the end of the year.

This week we start our mindful craft activity. The entire lower school (and some middle school yoga students) are helping me create a gratitude tree. The paper tree is hanging on the wall in the yoga room, and every student creates at least one leaf with something drawn or written on it that they love or are grateful for. The wall is filling up and I’m very proud of the students. It is great watching the students read all the leaves on the wall and seeing what others are grateful for.

Feel free to visit the “bat cave” yoga room (across from the Raven Cafe) if you’d like to see the gratitude tree.

Miss D