There are many parallels between the practice of yoga and being a student in an academic setting.  One parallel being that both require a strong connection between the mind and body.  Unfortunately, students in a traditional academic setting spend majority of their time sitting, and primarily receive input from external sources. Years ago I began to incorporate yoga based exercises and movements into my elementary classroom's morning routine. I immediately began to notice a pattern of subtle, yet drastic growth in my students as they became aware of how to listen and tune into their individual needs.  Over the past decade, it has become evident that my students' increased ability to focus, retain information, think critically, persevere, be resilient, creative, and confident can in large part be attributed to the morning ONYA.

 

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