Two UT Arlington professors developing yoga/peacekeeping curriculum for public schools

by PegNews wire

Can yoga foster peace in our schools? Dr. Joy Wiggins and Dr. Stephanie Daza think it can.

The two University of Texas at Arlington education professors have developed a new yoga/peacekeeping curriculum for public schools after the conclusion to a pilot project in the Dallas Independent School District.

Peaceful Paths was developed by UT-Arlington assistant professor Wiggins to help students improve their social skills to cut down on conflicts and violence while promoting physical fitness. The curriculum is unique because it combines yoga with activities based on peacekeeping programs in Russia.

About 1.7 million non-fatal crimes were committed at school against students ages 12–18, including thefts and violent crimes, according to a Bureau of Justice report last year.

Wiggins and assistant professor Daza have combined the practice of yoga with art, poetry, and conflict resolution exercises to help build positive student relationships and improve physical fitness.

They are now seeking grant money to train teachers and counselors in an effort to bring a permanent yoga/peacekeeping curriculum to public schools in Texas.

The professors introduced the 12-week pilot project last year at Eladio Martinez Elementary School in the Dallas Independent School District. About 65 fourth grade students took part in the program.

The two professors and Bikram Yoga Dallas, a yoga studio, helped integrate yoga practices and peace studies into the required TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) curriculum.

Wiggins and Daza monitored the program’s impact through student surveys and data collection. What they found is that many students learned to treat others with more respect by controlling their actions and using positive strategies to protect themselves instead of settling conflicts through violence.

Source: UT Arlington