Educational Yoga
for the YOLO Generation
Lifespan
Project Start Date: 02-10-2017
Duration: 12 months
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Project Background
Europe and the world is transforming so rapidly that some underprivileged children, for various reasons, are often not able to catch up with the developments and adapt accordingly so they fall behind and as a result they present low educational performance and are vulnerable as regards early school leaving.
An important common need of the school partners of the YOYO Consortium and the schools across Europe is to tackle the educational needs of the refugee children arriving in the European schools with an unprecedented and unexpected massive influx of refugees. First of all we need to deal with the trauma that the war, the uprooting, the long and tough trip away from home through Turkey to Europe and whatever else they have experienced in a traumatic way for instance the loss of beloved ones have caused.
The partner schools will develop and disseminate the good pedagogical practices for tackling this crucial situation that has been formed.
Aim of the project
The project aims at bringing an alternative way to approach underprivileged students through the practices of educational yoga and the introduction of mindfulness in the learning process.
Priorities
HORIZONTAL
Social inclusion
SECTORAL
SCHOOL EDUCATION:
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Supporting schools to tackle early school leaving (ESL) and disadvantage
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Promoting the acquisition of skills and competences
self-knowledge
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understanding
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skills for life
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growth
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acceptance
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integration
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tolerance
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support
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of the others
differentiation
the ever changing world
physically
mentally
spiritually
feelings
thoughts
bodily sensations
Expected Impact
ΥΟΥΟ will support participants for living in the present moment. It is the art of bringing attention to our thoughts, feelings and actions as they arise from moment to moment. From a scientific point of view, the ability to focus our attention for a sustained period of time supports our emotional, mental, social and physical well being.
More specifically:
Teachers will cultivate mindfulness for themselves and then let the practice be their guide as they will begin to grow and cultivate a greater capacity for presence, attentiveness and mindfulness in any moment of the day both in the Classroom and in their School. Furthermore, they will learn how to teach any learning object using mindfulness and monitor the learning process under this aspect.
Students will use a taster of various mindfulness techniques to explore how they can calm, relax, concentrate and be aware of their brain functions even while breathing.
Families will learn how to manage stress and pressure that modern life as well as serious social challenges are causing. It can be of great benefits to offer parents an opportunity to come together to take some valuable time for themselves to relax and unwind learning how the practice of mindfulness can support them to be more present with their children, feel less stressed and more able cope and thrive in the midst of all the challenges of living in today’s world.
YOYO project will support the smooth integration of students at high risk and refugee students in the learning process, will support them to improve their school performance and in the long run reduce the possibilities of early school leaving by teaching them how to manage their stress levels, how to handle their intense feelings and concentrate on the achievement of positive social behavior and improved school performance.