A Peaceful Classroom Begins with a Peaceful Teacher - Part Two

A Peaceful Classroom Begins with a Peaceful Teacher - Part Two

After Winter Break, things started to fall into place, although it wasn't until Spring that I realized just how far we had come. I can't say that I was doing much more integration of yoga lessons into the school day. However, I was focusing on yoga more in my life. I began to focus more on studying and using the Yamas and Niyamas in my life, not just my yoga practice.

http://www.yoga.net.au/relevance

In the classroom, I was able to simplify and surrender. At home I focused on contentment and self-study. Some of the self-study included reading Tree of Yoga - Iyengar and "Yoga Journal" magazine.

© 2007 Shambhala Publications


http://www.yogajournal.com/


The use of technology was integrated, as well. I listened to the "Hip Tranquil Chick" podcasts, participated to discussions on Zaadz.com, and started taking classes downloaded from YogaToday.com.

http://hiptranquilchick.com/podcastblog.html

http://www.zaadz.com/

http://www.yogatoday.com/


I also attended the Yoga Journal conference at Lake Geneva. There I went to workshops with Gumurkh Kaur Khalsa, Sean Corn, and Leah Kalish. All of these activities opened new avenues and awareness, inspired me, and helped me bring more peace into my life.
http://goldenbridgeyoga.com/

http://www.seanecorn.com/

http://www.yogaed.com/html/press-gaiam.html

Ahimsa
At this point I became interested in integrating more peace, or ahimsa (non-violence) into my life and classroom. I had read two great articles in the "Shambhala Sun" about contemplative education and social emotional learning. These topics are of interest to the Dalai Lama, as well, I learned.

http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3023&Itemid=243ww.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3023&Itemid=243

http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php

From a contact I made through Zaadz, I was introduced to the Peace Registry. The Peace Registry is a continually growing database of organizations and individuals all over the world who promote and act in accordance with principles of peace, nonviolence, compassion, and inclusion.

http://www.peacealliancefound.org/content/blogsection/28/92/

Through the Peace Registry, I was introduced to a great book for children titled Ten Amazing People and How They Changed the World. It is a collection of biographies of people like Gandhi, Mother Theresa, and Thich Naht Hanh. As biographies are a genre we are required to work with in fifth grade, I decided to go with a choice of "peaceful" people. Besides 10 Amazing People, I used biographies about Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. We discussed various life skills that these people used, and how they could use those same skills in their lives. These skills are similar to the Yamas and Niyamas, and also to the 21st Century skills recently adopted by the state of Wisconsin. Students then picked a biography of their choice, and wrote a paper about the life skills used by the person in their chosen biography.

SkyLight Paths Publishing




At the same time I was expanding my view of ahimsa. I was extremely fortunate to see the Dalai Lama speak.  His smile, as well as him message, just exudes peace.
http://www.dalailama.com/


Around this time, I also read Three Cups of Tea, and watched a documentary called Born into Brothels. The people in both of these real life stories are truly using Ahimsa and the other Yamas and Niyamas in their lives; using them to help others.


http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/bornintobrothels/

http://www.threecupsoftea.com/


At this point I began to think that I should be doing something "bigger". Maybe I should volunteer for some humanitarian effort, possibly working with children in India.
...then I remembered how freaked out I get when I get a mouse in my condo.
 ...I remembered how I get irritated with my mother when she is being, well, motherly.
...I remembered how I sometimes want to move at my pace in the classroom, and don't always listen to what the students are telling me.
 ...I remembered that I need to be at peace myself.
...I remembered to take a step back.
...I remembered that a Peaceful Classroom, begins with a Peaceful Teacher!