Math, science, social studies, language arts: those are the typical subjects that come to mind when thinking about middle school education. However, students at KIPP Summit Academy also have a less typical class as part of their schedule: yoga.
At first, the idea of yoga in a middle school seems pretty strange. Why, in a time when so many schools are cutting funding for physical education programs, would a school make yoga part of its mandatory curriculum?
The answer lies in the results the San Lorenzo, California school has seen since making the unusual addition to its course catalog: a 60% decrease in suspensions and increased test scores.
The school’s yoga program is run by Katherine Priore, the founder of Headstand, “an innovative non-profit organization that brings stress reduction techniques and yoga to youth in economically-disadvantaged communities.”
Priore first turned to yoga as a way to relieve stress when she was a public school teacher. Now, she is the executive director of Headstand and works to bring yoga to schools around the country.
And the students, teachers, and administrators at KIPP Summit Academy love the Headstand program. Students report feeling happier, calmer, and more relaxed, while teachers explain that because of yoga, students who used to have trouble finishing assignments are now more able to focus.
What do you think? Should more schools make yoga a mandatory part of their curriculum?