Lara Hocheiser with Flow and Grow Kids Yoga 95-hour
Kids Yoga Training trainees over Zoom
Have you heard of the concept of “gradual release of responsibility”? If you’re not an educator, perhaps not — but it’s actually a rather straightforward principle, one that can apply to a variety of disciplines and situations. Essentially, it’s “I do → we do → you do” — the teacher teaching the student, the teacher engaging in the material with the student, and then the student demonstrating their knowledge of the material for the teacher. Fundamentally, it centers interactivity and engaging in problem-solving in the learning process– something that research is increasingly demonstrating as essential for successful, sustained learning.
Lara Hocheiser, Flow and Grow Kids Yoga Founder/Owner and Teacher Trainer, shares this concept early on in her 95-hour Kids Yoga Teacher Training — and it’s how she teaches, as well as teaches her trainees to in turn teach their students. Lara imparts information, but then engages trainees as active participants in their own learning — through open discussion, small groups, teaching demonstrations, and creative arts (such as drawing diagrams and writing exercises).
In open discussions and small groups, trainees support and learn from each other. It’s an open environment for exploring and growing — gaining new knowledge and perspectives, honing skills, and challenging preconceptions. Following scheduled sessions, trainees demonstrate what they’ve learned — as well as how they can shape their instincts and unique creativity — through pre-recorded video teaching demonstrations.
Lara leading the Flow and Grow Kids Yoga
Foundations of Kids Yoga course (pre-COVID)
Lara then shares extensive constructive feedback — including an abundance of caring and encouragement — to help trainees refine their teaching practice. Lara teaches, then all engage in the material, then trainees demonstrate their knowledge and skills; it’s a gradual release of responsibility, centered in interacting and growing together as a community.
The Flow and Grow Kids Yoga teaching ethos also works by these principles. Learning games, creative arts exercises and reflective methods (such as journaling) engage students as active participants in their own learning. It’s all guided by a belief that each student — child, tween, teen, educator, parent, or caregiver — has something unique to offer to the learning process.
Members of the Flow and Grow Kids Yoga Spring 2020 Cohort
in their unique endeavors following training
You may ask “ok, but does it work?,”. See what trainees, and educators, are saying!
Ava Dussault, Spring 2020 Cohort and educator-in-training
“The weekend was fun, exciting, and engaging — allowing everybody to shine through in their area of interest! Lara is so knowledgeable about child development and education that she was able to intertwine literacy and math into her lesson plans which makes it not only fun but educational for children.”
Hannah Speilberg, Foundations of Kids Yoga (2018)
“I wanted to thank [Lara] for a learning-filled, energizing, inspiring weekend.”
Maureen Schiller, Fall 2020 Cohort
“You will go away [from this training] connected to other yoga teachers teaching children just like you and you will gain experience teaching children yoga. You will have the opportunity to watch videos of other teachers teaching children yoga. You will learn that there is a niche for you to teach yoga to children in your community.”
Judy Feeney, Summer 2020 Cohort and educator
“I have adopted the practices I learned at the Flow and Grow Yoga training! It has drastically changed my daily routine. We have yoga breaks almost everyday and we have midday meditation everyday. The children love it. I believe that it has made such an impact with my students, in behavior, emotional development, academic learning, and social development.”
Want to experience this interactive learning yourself? Our next training begins on June 22nd! Questions? Email Lara at lara@flowandgrowkidsyoga.com or book a call with her here!
