“Dev* has been such an terrific yogi over the last few weeks” I said to his mom. “He has been participating so well!” I said. Her eyes filled with tears of relief.
***
It was the ninth and last yoga class with this group. Dev screeched, “THE BANANA JOKE!!!” in response to the question, “what was the best part of your weekend?”
Dev (6 years old) had been so intensely shy when I met him he nearly made himself invisible for the first few classes. On top of barely talking or making eye contact with anyone, for the first several classes Dev had sprawled out on his yoga mat and promptly gone to sleep. I suspected he was overstimulated from his school day and mentally exhausted. I let the poor child rest.
Bit by bit, Dev began participating in class, doing a few yoga poses, answering a few questions. Dev needs a little extra time & space to answer, but when he gets that time and space, he is funny, articulate and creative. Also strong & flexible....I asked the kids one day what they thought “house” pose looked like. Dev said, “Like this!” he brought his legs over his shoulders, rolled forward and began balancing on his hands. No big deal! :)
By class nine Dev had energy to stay engaged for the full hour. Gradually, he bonded with the group so much that by then he was playing, laughing, talking and joking with all of us. On the day of class nine, with the screeching, I was reassured he was feeling comfortable!
I was delighted with Dev’s comfort, which supported his engagement. We at the Yoga Buggy know that engagement, the “shiny eyes effect,” is when the true learning takes place.
I was sure to let Dev’s mom know how engaged he had been over the last few classes.
When I first started teaching about 15 years ago, I avoided speaking to caregivers. I had this anxiety: if I communicated with parents they would assume there was a problem with my teaching. It took a lot of time and observation (and becoming a parent myself) to realize how much parents want to know what’s going with their kids, for better or for worse.
Dev’s mom accepted the news like a thirsty person being offered water. She told me how grateful she was that I let her know.
Dear fellow teachers, this is a shout out to you. When you have a free moment, let caregivers know that their children are doing their best. Talk about a small triumph that day, or extra effort, or an improvement over the course of the last few weeks. You will fill up caregivers’ cups with the best kind of fuel.
*Not his real name
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