Upcoming Dates
22 – 26 June, 2026 (open to enrollment)
Course Description
This practical course combines a theoretical and practical approach on embodied pedagogical tools that facilitate teachers and students’ well-being. Its main goal is to provide participants with tools that can be used in the classroom while they benefit directly from the practice of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness in every session.
Goals
- Strengthen teachers’ mental, emotional and physical well-being.
- Practice yoga and meditation techniques to support relaxation, focus, and emotional clarity.
- To provide pedagogical embodied tools that foster students’ and teachers’ well-being.
- By using key features of critical pedagogy and performance autoethnography as a pedagogical tool, this part of the course provides a twofold objective. On the one hand, participants will learn embodied strategies on how to create a more supportive environment in the classroom, which will facilitate students’ and teachers’ well-being. On the other hand, given the practical nature of this intensive course, participants will apply these tools in their own learning process.
Price
Admission information
A minimum course enrollment of 10 students must be met for each course to be offered
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- Language : English
- Language level required: B2 or above
- Duration : 5 days (20 to 25 hours)
Tentative Schedule
Section1. Foundations of yoga and meditation. Understanding well-being as the foundation for effective teaching and learning.
Learning Objectives:
Define personal well-being and its impact on the teaching process
Foundations of yoga and meditative traditions
Identify sources of teacher stress and anxiety.
Activities:
Practice: Gentle yoga + guided meditation for grounding and breath awareness.
Section2. Introduction to critical pedagogy and performance autoethnography
Learning objectives:
In this introductory session, we will clarify key concepts about this course (e.g., well-being). Likewise, participants will become familiar with performance autoethnography and critical pedagogy. We will explain the main features of both concepts and reflect on how to use them to foster teachers’ and students’ well-being.
Section1. Mindfulness and Emotional Awareness. Cultivating awareness and emotional intelligence through meditation.
Learning Objectives:
Understand meditation’s roots, goals, and benefits for mental health.
Apply mindfulness to enhance classroom presence and responsiveness.
Activities:
What is meditation? History, types, myths, and benefits.
Practice: Breathing (pranayama) and basic yoga postures (asanas).
Practice: Compassion/Loving-Kindness meditation. Mantra chanting.
Section2.Critical pedagogy and performance autoethnography as a pedagogical well-being tool (I)
Learning objectives:
We will discuss some of the key principles of Freire’s critical pedagogy (i.e., community of teachers-learners, consciousness) and how they can be used to foster individual and collective well-being in the classroom.
Section1. Mind–Body Connection and Stress Transformation
Recognizing how stress affects body and mind; techniques to restore balance.
Learning Objectives
Explain the stress response and recovery; identify personal cues and patterns.
Use breathing techniques and body awareness for calm focus and recovery.
Activities
How mindfulness trains attention.
Stress in teaching & learning (body scan, regulation strategies).
Practice: Gentle flow yoga + meditation + guided relaxation.
Section2. Critical pedagogy and performance autoethnography as a pedagogical well-being tool (II)
Learning objectives:
We will learn how to write performance autoethnography and how to use it as a pedagogical tool that facilitates individual and collective well-being in the classroom.
Section1. Meaning, Connection, Spirituality.Teaching as a vocation of purpose and connection; building sustainable practice.
Learning Objectives
Explore purpose, values, and interconnectedness in teaching.
Create a sustainable personal well-being routine for the school year.
Foster classroom relationships grounded in authenticity and compassion.
Activities
Teaching with purpose and presence (values, meaning, fulfilment).
Breath control and stillness meditation; relaxation techniques.
Designing a personal well-being plan: Key elements.
Reflection circle: Connection, gratitude practice.
Section2. Looking inside: How to use these tools to develop teachers’ well-being
Learning objectives:
We will apply the tools discussed during the course to self-reflect as teachers. Using individual and collective dynamics (including writing autoethnography and performing it), we will focus on developing participants’ well-being. We will reflect on those factors that can hinder teachers’ well-being and share strategies to navigate them.
Section1.Integration, Nature, and Classroom Application.Integrating well-being practices into daily teaching and learning.
Learning Objectives
Consolidate mindfulness, yoga, and emotional intelligence into classroom routines.
Commit to a personal action plan for sustained well-being.
Activities
Outdoor Mindfulness: Mindful walking and sensory awareness.
Partner yoga and breath connection (trust, empathy, regulation).
Bringing well-being to the classroom.
Closing circle: Reflections and commitments.
Section2. Pedagogical toolbox: How to use these tools to develop students’ well-being.
Learning objectives:
In our final session, participants will learn how to incorporate the embodied techniques discussed during the week into their pedagogical toolbox. We will share exercises that can be used to create a more supportive classroom. We will practice them and reflect upon their effectiveness.
