Weekend Course Descriptions

Each weekend includes practice and discussion of yoga poses and complete lesson plans.  You will also be delighted with games, Q & A, time to share and learn with others who like you are committed to the total wellness of the kids in their lives.  Treat yourself to an increased sense of well being while gaining effective tools to better serve the children in your life.  Be ready to experience movement, learning, relaxation and fun!

Weekend courses begin at 5:00 p.m. on Friday and conclude at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday.  For more information please call us at 312-324-3119.

Planting Seeds – teaching yoga to ages 5-7. Since this is a very playful age, we focus on games, imagination, stories and simple practices to introduce the healthy benefits of yoga.  Children in this age range want to jump right in and move.  They do not wait for demonstration.  You will be shown ways to move with the children, demonstrating and verbally cueing as you go. Focus is on enjoying yoga through play. Social, emotional, physical and cognitive development of children at this stage will be addressed.  Engaging interaction and enthusiastic communication skills will also be taught along with methods for creating a positive classroom environment.

Taking Root – teaching yoga to ages 8-10. In both the Eastern and Western traditions, age eight is a hallmark in development on many levels.  We will look at the evolving intelligence, social awareness and physical growth of kids in this age range while teaching appealing ways to foster their development. Children at this level have more impulse control than younger ones and can more fully assimilate the concepts of yoga.  With this in mind, facilitation emphasizes more active engagement and less demonstration.  Physical adjustments will be taught as this age group becomes more interested in doing the poses accurately and experiencing the benefits. We will focus on observing and reinforcing positive behavior through classroom activities and will explore creating a cooperative community in class.

Branching Out – teaching yoga to ages 11-13.  Students this age are well into the somewhat nebulous phase of "adolescence".  Many changes are occurring and social groups become paramount.  Kids in this age group want to learn in deeper ways and are ready for more subtle aspects of the practice.  They are also bombarded by adult-style stressors and benefit greatly from the breathing and relaxation techniques.  We will explore ways to express the essence of each pose in a clear, simple, engaging way - keeping the atmosphere relaxing and soothing for these kids who can be overwhelmed with intellectual input from many aspects of their lives.  The importance of addressing each student as an individual and with respect will be emphasized.

Walking the Path – teaching yoga to older teens and young adults. With all of the physical and intellectual features of adults, people in this age range have yet to amass the life experience that leads to emotional and spiritual maturity.  You will learn the most effective ways to reach out to these up and coming global citizens.  We will go beyond the asanas to also explore karma yoga and peace building skills.

Family Yoga – teaching to mixed age classes. We all live in community whether within our home, workplace, neighborhood or the larger global community.  This weekend will focus on teaching partner poses, cooperative games and yoga based art projects.  Family dynamics and communication styles will be explored in the context of facilitating a yoga class.  You will learn how to teach to a class of students who vary widely in age range. We will explore how relating to others allows us to relate more deeply to ourselves.   We will also look at building relationships to foster a culture of peace.  These techniques can be used in your own home, your community or in professional/business settings.

Know Your Yoga – philosophy, history & ethics of yoga. This course is like a weekend getaway to India!  You will be submerged in the ancient wisdom of this fascinating culture from which yoga has evolved. We will explain the 3 gunas, 4 paths, 8 limbs, 196 sutras and 5 koshas, while we share a few great stories and a couple of myths. The weekend will be spent exploring the vast topic of yogic philosophy, history, culture and myth in an experiential and integrative way.

Live Your Yoga – food, money, lifestyle.  Maybe you envy the yogis who get to renounce their lives and sit placidly in a cave in the Himalayas contemplating their existence. Meanwhile, you are late for your appointment, need to get groceries, cook dinner, resolve a ‘discussion’ with your teen and figure out if the job you have reflects your values and what you can do about that.  This weekend is devoted to ‘householder’s yoga’.  How can we live in the world in a peaceful and integrated way?  We will explore how we consume food and other products, how we spend our time and money, as well as our relationships and values related to these topics.

Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes – anatomy you need to know for teaching yoga to kids and adults.  Both the physical and energetic systems of the body will be explored.  As in all our trainings, learning will be hands on, interactive and fun!  Through games, discussion and practice you will become familiar with the major systems in the body and the developmental changes in these bodies from age five through adult.

Yoga Lab – hands on teaching with kids. This is the practicum portion of the certification training.  We will have 10 hours of classes for you to directly teach and observe others teach.  You will have the opportunity to give and receive feedback.  Children of all ages as well as families will be on hand to benefit from your unique and skillful teaching style!  To attend this lab, training participants must have completed at least three other GFY weekend courses.  Yoga Lab is limited to 12 participants.

To find out when these courses are offered, please visit our calendar page for our full schedule.