How Educators Can Model SEL Through Yoga
Modeling Social-Emotional Skills for Children
Children learn social-emotional skills by watching adults. When educators pause, breathe, and regulate their emotions, students witness SEL in action. Yoga is a powerful tool to help you cultivate this calm awareness. Through regular practice, you develop the ability to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively, creating a classroom environment grounded in patience and understanding.
Building Patience and Emotional Steadiness
Practicing mindful breathing, gentle movement, or even a silent 10-second pause builds your capacity for patience and emotional steadiness. These simple moments of self-care ripple outward, especially when you show up grounded, your students feel safe, supported, and seen. Over time, this consistent modeling strengthens their own social-emotional skills, helping them manage stress, navigate challenges, and develop empathy for others.
Try This Simple Classroom Breathing Exercise
A quick breathing exercise can help both you and your students reset during a busy day. Try the “Rainbow Breath”:
Sit tall and close your eyes if comfortable, or soften your gaze.
Inhale slowly through your nose, imagining drawing in the first color of the rainbow.
Exhale gently through your mouth, imagining releasing any tension with that color.
Move through each color of the rainbow, taking 3–5 deep breaths per color.
This exercise takes just 2–3 minutes and encourages mindfulness, self-regulation, and calm focus. Doing it together models emotional awareness, showing students how to pause and center themselves, even in the midst of a hectic school day.
What you can do now
Begin your yoga journey with us today. Explore our online restorative and yin yoga classes designed for busy professionals. Whether you prefer one-on-one support or group classes, we’ll help you create a sustainable yoga routine that fits your life. Click here to book your first session.
image shot at Ara Ha