You're Invited to Mindful Practices' Book Launch Party for Cooling Down Your Classroom

April 25, 2012

Mindful Practices will celebrate the release of its new book, Cooling Down Your Classroom: Using yoga, relaxation and breathing strategies to help students learn to keep their cool! by Carla Tantillo on Saturday May 5, 2012 from 5-10 pm at Nature Yoga Studio, located at 2021 W Division Chicago, IL 60622.

Read More | RSVP to Event | BUY BOOK

Using Relaxation Strategies to Cope with School Readiness In and Outside of the Classroom

March 9, 2012

Mindful Practices is presenting at the Illinois Head Start Conference on Friday, March 9 from 8:30-10. "Using Relaxation Strategies to Cope with School Readiness In and Outside of the Classroom"

Visit Illionois Head Start Conference's website for further details!

Let Mindful Practices Train Your Teachers to do Recess in the Classroom!

February 13, 2012

Our founder Carla Tantillo stopped by Gary Comer Academy to run a professional development seminar titled “Cooling Down Your Classroom” discussing several ways to bring movement or 'recess' to the classroom!

Watch this video to learn how to integrate active programs like Pass The Cool Clap, Pass The Dance, Memory Minute and Cotton Ball Breathing into your daily classroom routine!

Bring our engaging and innovative professional development to your school!

Carla Tantillo, founder of Mindful Practices, Selected to Present at 2012 Indiana After School Summit!

February 13, 2012

Mindful Practices is excited to announce founder Carla Tantillo will be presenting at Indiana After School Summit on March 12, 2012! Come see Carla give her presentation Cool & Calm: Using Relaxation, Breathing and Yoga Techniques with Students and Parents from 3:00–4:15pm and learn several fun and easy wellness techniques to integrate into classroom routine!

Register for Indiana After School Summit here!

Students Love Hip-HopYoga™!

February 11, 2012

Watch our very own Alison Rootberg lead students in a Hip-HopYoga™ class.

Look at all the energized students enjoying one Mindful Practices’ most popular after programs! As an organization, Mindful Practices specializes in After School Programming and Professional Development. Hip-HopYoga™ programs fuse the benefits of Yoga and the benefits of Hip-Hop in a culturally relevant and student-friendly medium. Contact us to energize your after school programming!

Mindful Practices Wellness Programs Featured on OakPark.com!

November 8, 2011

This past week the Wednesday Journal featured an article on the power of Mindful Practices' professional development trainings to create cool, calm classrooms. The piece also discussed our innovative yoga training for PE teachers and our engaging after school Hip-HopYoga program.

“Yoga gives students the tools to deal with life stressors. When students—and teachers—are relaxed, it gives them the skills to learn and be productive,” Carla Tantillo says.

Her book, Cooling Down Your Classroom offers teachers yoga coaching in order to tap the inner calm that can focus a rowdy classroom. In eight-minute chunks after lunch, Tantillo says, students become more focused and discipline infractions occur less frequently. ”

Read the full article at OakPark.com!

Hip-HopYoga™ Featured on ABC News

August 25, 2011

Mindful Practices was thrilled to take part in the third annual Back to School Community Day organized by Chicago Area Project. As a part of the day's festivities, Mindful Practices offered free Hip-HopYoga™ classes to all in attendance.

Besides free yoga, students received free hair cuts, health screenings, backpacks and an assortment of school supplies. The day was a great success and we were tickled pink to have our most popular after school program Hip-HopYoga™ make ABC 7’s evening news!

As an organization, Mindful Practices loves getting involved with community nuturing programs such as Back To School Community Day. Reach out to us, we'd love to help make your community event a success!

Education World Writes an Article about the Positive Effects of Mindful Practices' Wellness Programs!

December 14, 2009

Mindful Practices is pleased to annouce that our flagship program Student Wellness in 8-10 Minutes Each Day has been featured in Education World's recently published article "School Adopts Yoga For Wellness, Behavior Management." The article, written by Ellen R. Delisio, covers the positive effects of using yoga to manage student behavior in high-risk school populations while taking an in-depth look into how yoga directly changed student behavior at Jefferson Elementary School in Berwyn, Illinois for the better. Specifically speaking, the number of disciplinary referrals at Jefferson Elementary dropped from 254 to 132 per year in a matter of only three school years.

A big thanks to Ellen R. Delisio and Education World for spreading the word about the positive effects yoga-centered wellness programs, all of us here at Mindful Practices are truly grateful. Be sure to read the full article at Educationworld.com!

Listen to Carla Tantillo's interview with Wired FM, Ireland!

October 2009

This past October traveled to Limirick, Ireland to provide professional development to the teachers of Mary Immaculate College. While in Ireland, Mary Immaculate College's radio station, Wired FM, invited Carla Tantillo to speak about her experiences providing professional development and implementing wellness programs in schools on-air. A warm thank you to the kind people overseas at Wired FM for enabling Mindful Practices the chance to rebroadcast the interview below.

Radio Segment #1:
Introductions & History of Mindful Practices

Click here to listen to all six segments of Carla Tantillo's interview with show Wired FM

Students Perform at Taste of Chicago

July 2, 2009

This past summer the city of Chicago invited Mindful Practices to be a participant at the Taste of Chicago. Over 50 Hip-HopYoga students from schools across Chicago came together to perform a routine inspired by the famous choregraphy in Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video. To prepare, the students spent the entire semester prior to the performance vigorously developing and rehearsing a routine fusing hip-hop dance with yoga. Check out an excerpt of the performance below:

Click here to learn more about Mindful Practices' experience at 2009's Taste of Chicago