Yoga Supports Academic Achievement and Student Wellness
Academic Performance
In 2000, cardiologist Herbert Benson led a research team to study the relationship between exposure to a relaxation-response curriculum and academic achievement among middle school students. Teachers were trained to teach their students relaxation exercises and self-care strategies. Those who had more than two semesters’ worth of exposure to the relaxation curriculum earned higher marks in GPA, work habits and cooperation, than students who did not, and maintained this improvement for at least two years.
The Accelerated School (TAS) in South Central Los Angeles is a flagship school which integrates yoga with its teaching. According to co-founder Kevin Sved, “Unless you’re fully engaging the minds and bodies of the children, they’re not going to be as productive” (emphasis added). The results of the TAS approach bear this out. Between 1997 and 2001, TAS saw an amazing 93% increase in Stanford Achievement Test scores. Attendance averages 94%—very high in the LA Unified School District. In May 2001, it was recognized by Time as Elementary School of the Year.
Self-Esteem, Discipline, and Physical Fitness
A 2003 study of the YogaEd® program at TAS found that yoga class participation not only helped students improve their attitudes toward themselves, but their behavior also improved, as seen in the vastly lower rate of discipline referrals. These students also ranked as more physically fit, with more than 23 percent more TAS students meeting the standards for physical fitness than students at other schools in the district.
Oppositional and ADHD Subscales and Indices
Preliminary findings suggest that yoga is effective as a complementary and alternative method for addressing ADHD and may be especially effective later in the day when medications wear off. Jensen and Kenny recommend larger studies involving yoga programs integrated into school curriculum.
Emotional Balance, Reducing Fears
In a 2003 study of 48 fifth grade students, Stueck and Gloeckner found that yoga training increased emotional balance and reduced fears, feelings of helplessness and aggression. They also found that the participants transferred the learned breathing techniques and self-instructions to situations beyond school.
In Chicago, the Namaste Charter School was founded in a low-income, high-crime neighborhood. Named for the yogic greeting of mutual respect, Namaste focuses on health in every aspect: the school day is longer, with lots of physical activity (an hour of gym and 25 minutes of outdoor recess daily); yoga classes are included; healthy, low sugar meals are provided; classes are small, with two teachers per room; and conflict resolution strategies and parental involvement are integrated. Children are taught to notice when they need to wake up or calm down. Each classroom reserves space where students can practice yoga, punch pillows or rip paper to release anger. In collaboration with Chicago’s Children’s Memorial Hospital, Namaste’s early assessments are promising, with research showing a reduction in obesity among its students, and an upsurge in language acquisition.
Other Research Studies
- Concentration (Hopkins, Perlman and Hechtman,1979)
- Test results, anxiety, ability to relax (Klein, 1990)
- Reducing maladaptive behavior (Johnson, 1979)
- Improving static motor performance (Telles, S., Hanumanthaiah, B., Nagarathna, R. and Nagendra, H.R., 1993)
- Lower resting heart rate (Narendran, Raghuraj and Nagarathna, 1997)
- Increased attention span (Zipkin, 1985)
- Increased body / self image satisfaction (Clance, Mitchell and Engleman, 1980)
The Role of Social and Emotional Learning
One of the unique attributes of the Yoga Calm approach is its supporting children’s social and emotional growth through physical activities. Social and emotional skills such as self-awareness, self-discipline and empathy are at the heart of all learning and of primary importance in long-term happiness and health (Goleman, 1995). And movement and play are of equal importance as kids develop the sensory-motor intelligence that supports intellectual, social and personal development (Piaget; Ayres). It is in this context that academic and intellectual growth will flourish.
The following research from the fields of physical education, occupational therapy and mental health further supports the need for this approach:
- Over one-third of schoolchildren have a kinesthetic-tactile preference, indicating that movement helps their learning (Sousa, 1997; Swanson, 1995).
- Positive self-statements help developing self-confidence and reinforce connections between effort and success (Sousa, 2001).
- High school teachers recognize the need to meet students’ emotional needs before they can be successful at presenting the curriculum (Sousa, 2001).
- Anxiety disorders are the most common of childhood disorders, affecting an estimated 8 percent of the youth population (Sousa, 2001). General anxiety lowers intelligence test scores (Lighthall, 1959) and reduces achievement (Gifford and Marston). A consistent relationship has been shown between anxiety and self-concept (Cattel and Sheier).
- ADD/ADHD is one of the most common learning disorders, affecting an estimated 4.1 percent of youth ages 9 to 17 for a period of at least 6 months (Sousa, 2001). Today, more health-care professionals recommend a multidisciplinary, multimodal approach to the treatment of ADD/ADHD, which includes medication but also therapy, dietary changes and a host of mind-body approaches such as biofeedback, neurofeedback and yoga. Together, such treatments help kids diagnosed with ADD/ADHD learn how to control their symptoms and relieve both emotional and physical stress (Ruiz, 2005).
- A study by the National Institute of Mental Health (2000) estimates that about 6 percent of 9 to 17 year-olds have major depression and that its onset occurs earlier in life than ever. In a 2001 study reported in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 80 young male and female volunteers were tested for mood and then did aerobics for an hour. Of the 80, 52 were depressed before the exercise and proved to be the group most likely to benefit. Subjects reported a reduction in anger, fatigue and tension. They also felt more vigorous after the workout
- Many studies have shown that the greatest yield of nerve growth factors happens when the body engages in complex movement patterns (Ratey, 2003).
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in 150 American children born today will fall somewhere on the autistic spectrum. This is double the rate of 10 years ago and 10 times the estimated incidence a generation ago. In autistic children, sensory integration dysfunction often affects the tactile, vestibular and proprioceptive systems. Coordinating volition with movement and sensation, and knowing where their body is in space can be difficult for some with ASP (Time, May 15, 2006; pg 48). The need for repetitive motion and structure can be viewed as a search for “local coherence” in a world of jarring randomness. Additional effective components of an integrated treatment for individuals with autism are relaxation and stress relief (Nazeer, 2005).
- The vestibular system is the unifying system: all other types of sensation are processed in relation to it (Ayres, 1979). Research indicates that vestibular processes in the lower (subcortical) levels of the brain support processes in the higher (cortical) levels of the brain, including speech and language (Stilwell, Crowe and McCallum 1978). Inaccurate vestibular processing and gravitational insecurity in children may result in inappropriate emotional reactions and behavior, and the inability to observe and learn in certain situations (Trott, Laurel and Windeck, 1993).
- Teamwork
- Problem-solving skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Oral communication
- Listening
- Personal & Career Development
- Creative thinking
- Leadership
- Goal setting & motivation
- Writing
More scholarly references supporting Yoga Calm Principles
