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The stresses and strains of school life are being stretched away for Craigavon children thanks to a new addition to the curriculum – yoga
Yoga may improve flexibility and posture, but it’s the way it relaxes pupils stressed out by exams and soothes hyperactive youngsters that teachers talk about.
The stresses and strains of school life are being stretched away for Craigavon children thanks to a new addition to the curriculum – yoga.
Children as young as two are being taught the ancient discipline in crèches, pre-schools, nursery schools, primary schools and even secondary schools throughout Northern Ireland.
Specially trained facilitators from Stretch & Play Co. Ltd. are helping them to unwind through practicing a variety of poses while concentrating on correct breathing.
Company founder & CEO, Victoria Cunningham-Downey is one of only two teachers in Northern Ireland trained by the London-based YogaBugs company.
Eagle-eyed readers may remember the name from last year’s BBC2 hit show – Dragon’s Den when the firm’s bosses, Lara Goodbody and Fenella Lindsell, pitched for a £200,000 investment for their fast-growing business. The multi-millionaire Dragons, who liked the concept, were astonished when the women rejected the cash offered because the deal wasn’t good enough.
Despite rejecting the cash, YogaBugs classes are continuing to thrive and, thanks to Stretch & Play, they have now arrived in Northern Ireland.
Victoria explains:
"The concept of Yogabugs is to teach children aged 2 and a half to seven traditional yoga postures, breathing and relaxation techniques by taking them on a story adventure that captures their imagination while enabling them to enjoy the practice of yoga.
"Stretch & Play uses this concept in our work with younger children while with older children we also incorporate games and exercises based on my drama facilitation experience and with teenagers the session is more like a standard adult class with adaptations made for strength and flexibility."
Yoga may improve flexibility and posture, but it’s the way it relaxes pupils stressed out by exams and soothes hyperactive youngsters that teachers talk about. If they have or are considering incorporating it into the curriculum, often it is in personal, social and health education rather than PE.
Indeed, since Stretch & Play was created in March 2006 they have been successfully involved with a variety of schools as a PE alternative, in the Extended Schools programme, in circle-time activities and school-wide assemblies as well as special needs/inclusion based classes. Victoria has also consulted on curriculum development and delivered teacher in-service days.
Sue Chedzoy, director of physical education at Exeter University School of Education was quoted in the Times Educational Supplement in March 2006 as saying:
"The value of yoga depends on how it is delivered, who is delivering it and how much they know about the physical, emotional and social development of children."
Victoria agrees:
"As well as being a fully qualified yoga teacher I am also an experienced youth worker and I have created the specific Stretch & Play programmes to fit in with either the formal school curriculum or the informal youth work curriculum depending on the audience.
Our hard work has even been recognised by the EU Peace II programme through Craigavon Local Strategy Partnership who have awarded us a grant to research the effects of yoga on post-primary pupils from 8 schools in the Craigavon area."
Stretch & Play have been working in post-primary schools throughout September and October but facilitators are also available for sessions with schools outside this programme as well as with community/voluntary organisations.
In light of the increased provision, and thanks to the help and support received from Pauline Coghlan at Newry & Mourne Enterprise Agency – under Invest Northern Ireland’s Social Entrepreneurship Programme, Stretch & Play will be training new facilitators.
So if you have always wanted to work with children this could be your chance! For more information on the training or the classes themselves visit www.stretchandplay.co.uk or call Victoria on 08454 799 259.
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