Testimonial from a 2 Hour Workshop in Burlington I taught a few months ago
Thank you again for teaching us today Heather!!
Today’s teachings will compliment our Montessori Peace Education which encompasses Grace and Courtesy.
Emotions and Mindfulness are brought up daily in our learning and today’s Mini Me Yoga workshop empowers me even more to helping and guiding my little friends to calmly embrace their feelings.
Enjoy the rest of the the weekend! ❤
Around Christmas time we all would like to receive physical gifts, I always try to buy people something personal that I have spent time choosing particularly for them. I think sometimes we forget that the best gifts are the ones that we don’t see such as love, forgiveness, acceptance as without these we cannot be ourselves. Joining Mini Me Yoga has provided me with a new gift that I cherish and has helped me to find my way in life – I am extremely thankful to Kate Bartram-Brown for this opportunity. Teaching kids yoga and mindfulness alongside positive thinking and having fun has allowed me to become the teacher I’ve always wanted to be, without being restricted and confined by targets, statistics or this is what we should do because it’s now our school policy.
My background is in education as I am a primary school teacher and worked mainly within key stage 2 where exams and pressure for children builds. I felt that there was something missing as my role as a teacher and I wasn’t providing children with the support that I wanted to, in the way in which I wanted. One day, I had a child who had an emotional breakdown – no one would give them the time or space that they needed to compile themselves – this breakdown all due to the stress of an exam, an exam that was statutory, that I as the Year 6 teacher had given to that child. For me this was my turning point, I knew I needed to be teaching but in a positive way, a way that developed self-confidence, self-esteem and supported emotional well-being, not aided the negativity. I have also had several children over the years of teaching with additional needs from ADHD and Autism, to anxiety and anger issues or just not wanting to be at school – every one of those important and needing positivity and support.
I, myself, have an additional need that was not diagnosed until my early 20’s. At first, I felt like a failure, it explained why school was difficult, why I had not obtained A levels, it really had a negative impact on me. Then, I decided that as a teacher I needed to embrace it, think positively about it so that I could help the children I taught – I used the different talents within my class to help me with my additional needs, making them more aware and understanding of others but also that it could be fantastic to work together and help one another whilst being grateful for how different we all were.
One day, the same child from my turning point moment was having another meltdown – I shared how I had felt about my diagnosis and I got the response of “but you are a teacher!” – this gave me the gift that I had needed – yes I was a teacher, but I had done it, overcome challenges, my own negatively and fear, that child had made me look at everything in a different light – “if I can do it, so can you.”
I have recently spent time working as an emotional and behavioural support teacher, which I loved so much but still felt that there were restrictions and parents came to me asking how they could help. With Mini Me Yoga we are empowering both children and adults, build bonds and relationships, providing people with the support and fun that we all need in life regardless of our age or ability.
Don’t be defined by a label or challenges, everyone is unique and special, allow exploration, creativity and give the gift of positivity, inclusion, love, laughter, ambition, encouragement – these unspoken gifts are more powerful than any physical gift.
Meet this week’s guest blogger and Mini Me Yoga Ambassador, Vicki Readings:
I am extremely passionate about children’s emotional well being and self belief. My journey started when I was a teaching assistant and then went on to become a primary school teacher. I then had the opportunity to work with an amazing well being practitioner. From this I knew that my version of being a teacher was not in my role at the time as it was too restricting. I became a Relax Kids coach and trained in other programmes to help support children and families and changed my role within school to become an emotional and behavioural support teacher. When doing this, I wanted a way to help empower parents and educators to support children themselves on a daily basis and found my new path and journey into Mini Me Yoga. This has been the most amazing journey that I am honoured to be on and a new family to be part of.
Like Vicki’s Mini Me Yoga Wales Facebook page for more opportunities to empower adults and children in the Wales area! If you are not around Wales and would like to know more about Mini Me Yoga’s various workshops that support children to grow healthy emotional lives, email us at info@minimeyoga.com
Article source: http://minimeyoga.com/2016/12/26/bearing-gifts-we-travel-so-far/
http://minimeyoga.com/2016/12/05/twas-the-night-before-christmas/
Nicole Dixon is our Mini Me Yoga Ambassador to Western Canada
#MiniMeYoga #KidsYoga #NicoleDixon
This Special Edition of our 2 Hour Workshop for Grownups is for Educators, ECE`s and ECE Students only!
I have drastically reduced the price to help our students who need these tools!
For this workshop on this date only, the price is $85. I normally charge $225. Tuition must be paid in full prior to the class.
This workshop is limited to 15 participants, so sign up today to reserve your spot!
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Facilitator Training
I train Grownups to do our Program with the Children in their Lives!
The Facilitator Training Workshop is for Adults Only!
No Previous Yoga Experience is Required
Mini-Me Yoga is a Heart-Centered, playful approach that teaches children breathing techniques and yoga postures. We foster a child’s innate curiosity to explore yoga without rigid expectations, leaving them free to fall in love with deep belly breathing, heart-centered living, freedom of movement, relaxation and meditation.
In this 2-hour Mini Me Yoga workshop, parents, grandparents, childcare providers and teachers learn simple techniques for introducing 15 minutes a day of yoga and positive thinking to preschool and elementary-aged children using games and exercises designed to make it fun and engaging.
Anyone can join in the fun!
This training is specifically designed for Educators as it pertains to Classroom Management.
Each participant receives:
Complete set of 14 Magick Yoga Cards
Online training for additional resource
Certificate of Completion
You learn The Mini Way of Teaching
• Breathing
• Meditation
• Making energy water
• Why we do kids yoga
• Plus, at least 14 yoga poses
It’s action-packed and full of information as well as practical tools.
Everyone leaves with what they need to get started right away.
The 2 Hour Workshop for Grownups is currently held at:
St. Stephen on the Hill Church 998 Indian Road Mississauga ON L5H 1R5
For more information, please contact:
Heather M. McCrae, MEd
heathermccrae7@gmail.com
Why do kids need Yoga other than the fact that it’s fun and good for you like broccoli ?
One of the foundational components that I focus on when teaching kids Yoga, is emotional intelligence. If children aren’t aware of what they are feeling, or why, and if we don’t give them tools to deal with their feelings appropriately, we are in danger of creating a society of unconscious bullies who prey on those who are more sensitive than they are-more aware of what they are feeling.
In my classes, a part of what I teach is heart-opening and deep belly breathing. This is important for so many reasons!
Do you realize how much of your day you spend breathing straight from your lungs with very quick and shallow breaths? This is actually “fight or flight breathing” and you don’t even know you are doing it! Your body is in “pounce” position-poised for a fight. Can you imagine how this effects your interactions with others?
We have so many unconscious habits as children that we have brought forward into our adult lives that are not helpful!
When we do the ohm at the beginning of our class, it is an invitation to centre ourselves and gather ourselves together consciously. When we do the ohn three times, we are connecting ourselves to the world around us, consciously. This is something that both children and adults can do each morning to start their day by remembering that we are all in this together, and there is nothing to fear.
Deep belly breathing is an antidote to stress and the “fight or flight” response. When we consciously take a deep belly breath, we are sinking our being deeper into our bodies and grounding ourselves in our current reality. In other words, we are getting out of our heads and out of our own way!
If children learn from an early age to breathe deeply and anchor their hearts, they are far less likely to live in fear all the time, waiting to be attacked or pick a fight because they are afraid. Just like with martial arts, this is a discipline that encourages self-inquiry and self-awareness.
As a survivor of child abuse, I know first-hand how mindfulness practices change your thinking and assist you in dealing with life on life’s terms-fully present.
Our kids face all kinds of stressors that we didn’t-media alone is a big one. Children are bombarded by noise both visually and audibly. Mindfulness practices are a perfect tool for allowing a moment of reflection between stimulus and response, cause and effect, push and pull.
We all need a minute.
Love and Light,
Heather M. McCrae, MEd
Consultant and Ambassador to Canada
Mini Me Yoga
There’s a very important reason why we don’t really talk about the whole money thing with Mini Me Yoga- that’s not why we do it.
When I was thinking long and hard about whether to write about this, I spoke to one of my Chums who’s a successful business owner and she asked me why I don’t talk about it at all.
My friend reminded me that a piece of our Mission is to Empower Women by offering the Facilitator Training as a foundation to start a small business. The model is very simple- I show you how to run a children’s Yoga class. You charge a reasonable specified amount, and I show you the maximum class size and literally everything you need to get started.
Kate Bartram-Brown intended Mini Me Yoga to be empowering for everyone- including the Facilitator who’s leading the class! Yes we train parents so they have this amazing program to do on a regular basis with their kids, And yes we train Educators to use our program in schools.
But we also want women like you, who want a side income To be teaching the Yoga in your community! We have loads of ideas and suggestions to get you started right away!
So no, I don’t think we talk about it enough, but there is a valid reason- we don’t want you doing this solely for the money. That’s not the Mini Me Way. We do our work for the children and the money comes as a result of our willingness to get it out there.
Are you ready to make a difference in the Life of a child by facilitating a great Yoga class? This is your invitation! Open your Heart and lets go!
Light and Love,
Heather McCrae, MEd. Ambassador to Canada Mini Me Yoga
#KidsYoga #MiniMeYoga #MomBloggers #WealthThroughService #KateBartramBrown #HeatherMcCrae
