[LUM#14] Yoga on the agenda
How can we promote an education that views children and adolescents holistically, focusing not only on cognitive learning but also on physical and emotional development? Why not through yoga? An activity that proved extremely popular during the lockdown could easily find its place in schools.
Whether as a physical activity, a path to spiritual awakening, or a way of life, yoga has become a booming global phenomenon. “During the lockdown, ‘ yoga ’ was one of the most searched terms on search engines, ” explains Sylvain Wagnon. And its benefits are well established.“It improves attention, concentration, and the management of stress and emotions, particularly by reducing levels of cortisol, the stress hormone,” explains the researcher at the Interdisciplinary Laboratory for Research in Didactics, Education, and Training (Lirdef1). These qualities could open the doors to schools for yoga.
“Yoga is already part of the school curriculum in some Northern European countries, but France is lagging far behind,” laments Sylvain Wagnon. The reason? “An educational system that has always neglected the physical and emotional aspects in favor of cognitive skills: reading, writing, and arithmetic. " Physical education? "While it certainly exists, it is often considered less important, as if there were a hierarchy between cognitive and physical activities. Ultimately, an entire dimension is being neglected, and this is detrimental to harmonious development."
Virtuous cycle
In countries where yoga is incorporated into the school curriculum, its positive effects on learning are widely recognized, “as are its benefits for the well-being of students and teachers, ” notes Sylvain Wagnon. Students learn to be mindful of their bodies, breathe, relax, and stay calm. “These practices create a different atmosphere for both children and teachers—one that is more serene and conducive to conflict resolution.” And thus more conducive to learning. “A true virtuous cycle.”
While some schoolchildren in France have already joined this trend, having had the opportunity to try the downward-facing dog pose at school, it remains difficult for now to quantify the role of yoga in preschool, elementary, and secondary education. “The first initiatives to introduce yoga in schools were led by teachers who practiced it themselves, but how many of them are there? We are currently conducting a study to quantify this trend, which is still largely unknown in France,” notes the researcher, who is collaborating on this project with Sihame Chkair, a doctoral student in education sciences whose thesis focuses on the integration of alternative practices—including yoga—into public education.
Concrete proposals
The doctoral student is studying the introduction of yoga to students at Jules Ferry High School in Montpellier. “The feedback has been very positive, including from the teaching staff,” reports Sylvain Wagnon. “Currently, more and more teachers are highlighting the benefits of yoga for coordinated breathing exercises and body awareness. ” But how can these practices be adapted and expanded? And how can yoga be fully integrated into the curriculum? “That is precisely our goal: to make concrete proposals to the Ministry of Education to find a real place for yoga in schools.” So that all children and teenagers can benefit from this virtuous cycle . Namaste.
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- Lirdef: Research Group 3749 (UM – Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3 University) ↩︎