L I T T L E H E R O E S .

This year, my first year as a yoga teacher has taught ME a lot. But a highlight for me has been the experience and opportunities to teach children something I can only wish to have learnt at their age.

I would never have imagined yoga would see me hanging out with 3-5 year olds but I jumped at the chance when Goondiwindi Kindergarten Association asked me to join them twice a week. This was going to be the challenge and reward I wanted and needed as a newly qualified teacher.

I remeber my first class, feeling a little bit like Arnie in Kindergarten Cop, I thought to myself there was no way these kids were ever going to 'get it'. Come on, they couldn't sit still let alone be quiet for more than 10 seconds. How were they going to give themselves a chance to listen and learn how to move and balance? How were they ever going to sit still long enough to breathe and meditate?

Never underestimate the capabilities and Intelligence of preschoolers

Each week for the first couple of months yoga poses were introduced in the form of story telling and themes; In the garden, At the Zoo, Let's go to the beach, Outta space... you get the idea.

I really can’t explain how much both groups have had an impact on me. Their openness, kindness, willingness to share but above all real interest and dedication were outstanding.

I was welcomed with open arms by every single one of these 3/4-year-olds and they always treated me and our class with respect and importance.

This was my first time teaching children and I will admit, I really didn’t know how it was going to go, but I have had a fabulous time and from the reception, I got every week from them all, I think they had a fabulous time too.

Because of these kids, I will never underestimate the capabilities and Intelligence of preschoolers: these guys are SMART.

But they are also: • Brave • Eager • Open-minded • Creative • Inspiring • Motivational • Energetic (sometimes a little too much!) • Determined • Inquisitive • Demonstrate incredible memory • Happy...

I could on.

I wanted yoga to be something that wasn’t just about movement & breath. I wanted the movement to include story telling, imagination and other skills such as learning ‘left & right’, parts of the body, counting, understanding how the body moves, understand what stretching means and begin to grasp teamwork / respecting your friends.

I was also keen on the kids improving confidence & practicing presentation skills, to not feel embarrassed to speak in front of the class (as I always was). So, we dedicated a small part of the class to poses by the kids themselves - poses they had learned from me or poses they had made up and given a name to, thinking about the concept of yoga. This worked amazingly well. We had some crackers (I will never forget Theo’s ‘Batman’ or Fletcher's ‘Dozer’!) Every week these youngsters never ceased to amaze me.

What I was even more amazed by was the meditation section at the end of our practice, the part that i really never thought in a million years they would a) grasp the concept and b) actaully enjoy.

From those first couple of classes being unable to sit quietly and still for 30 seconds to some weeks watching in astonishment for 5-7minutes. I had a goal of 5mins but never did I think we would achieve it. But here I was every week being asked by the kids 'can we do quiet listening now'! How did i manage it? I would ask the children to open their minds and let their imagination run free as they listened to music or calming sounds, inviting each child to share their thoughts at the end, This brought about trust, openness, and creativity. This brought them to grasping and enjoying MEDITATION!

So I want to say a HUGE Thank you to teaching staff at Goondiwindi Kindergarten Association Inc. & THANK YOU to the class of 2019 for being my teacher. These little heroes have taught me more than they will ever realise and will ever know. Each and every one of them has left a footprint in my heart.

Volunteering my time and my qualification enabled me to emerse myself in what Yoga is all about - helping, guiding and bringing something to enrich the lives of others, little lives that I hope have benefitted from learning more about themselves, their bodies, how to breathe, move and balance. A skill and awareness that I hpe will prove them well throughout the next stage of their lives in prep and beyond.