Yoga is increasingly recommended for the K-12 population as a health intervention, a Physical Education activity, and for fun. What constitutes Yoga however, what is taught, and how it is taught, is variable. The purpose of this study was to survey Youth Yoga curriculums to identify content, teaching strategies, and assessments; dimensions of wellness addressed; whether national Health and Physical Education (HPE) standards were met; strategies to manage implementation fidelity; and shared constructs between Yoga and educational psychology. Methods: A descriptive qualitative design included a preliminary survey (n = 206) and interview (n = 1), questionnaires for curriculum developers (n = 9) and teachers (n = 5), interviews of developers and teachers (n = 3), lesson observations (n= 3), and a review of curriculum manuals. Results: Yoga content was adapted from elements associated with the Yoga Sutras but mostly from modern texts, interpretations, and personal experiences. Curriculums were not consistently mapped, nor elements defined. Non-Yoga content included games, music, and storytelling, which were used to teach Yoga postures and improve concentration, balance, and meta-cognitive skills. Yoga games were noncompetitive and similar to PE games. Teaching strategies included guided inquiry and dialoguing. Assessments were underutilized and misunderstood. Lessons were created to engage students across multiple dimensions of wellness; cultivate self awareness, attention, and concentration; and teach relaxation skills. Spiritual wellness was addressed using relaxation, self-awareness, partner work, and examining emotional states. Developers adapted curriculums to meet HPE standards when needed. Yoga was considered appropriate across all developmental stages and could be adapted to meet specific needs. Developers tended not to manage fidelity; strict control was perceived as contrary to Yoga philosophy. Curriculum manuals were resources, not scripts. Continuing education included workshops, videos, and online forums. Emerging themes included attention, awareness, meta-cognition, and self-regulation as learning objectives; dialoguing as a teaching strategy; and the influence of mindfulness and positive psychology on curriculum design. These suggest additional areas of research. Curriculums need codification, defining, and mapping of elements including the alignment of teaching strategies with assessments. The benefits of Yoga, beyond the physical postures, need further study. / Kinesiology
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TEMPLE/oai:scholarshare.temple.edu:20.500.12613/1777 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Lowry, Robin |
| Contributors | Swalm, Ricky L., Sachs, Michael L., Schifter, Catherine, Segal, Jay S. |
| Publisher | Temple University. Libraries |
| Source Sets | Temple University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation, Text |
| Format | 514 pages |
| Rights | IN COPYRIGHT- This Rights Statement can be used for an Item that is in copyright. Using this statement implies that the organization making this Item available has determined that the Item is in copyright and either is the rights-holder, has obtained permission from the rights-holder(s) to make their Work(s) available, or makes the Item available under an exception or limitation to copyright (including Fair Use) that entitles it to make the Item available., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
| Relation | http://dx.doi.org/10.34944/dspace/1759, Theses and Dissertations |
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