Watch Classroom Wellness Made Easy [VIDEO WEBINAR]

May 31, 2013

Mindful Practices' founder Carla Tantillo teamed up with Chicago Public Schools to create this webinar that discusses how to build a successful wellness program in a school setting. What do you do when students cannot go outside for recess? How do you teach students to learn to keep their cool in high stress situations? Watch Carla's CPS webinar and learn about the following things: Social Emotional Learning, indoor recess strategies, integrating physical activity in the classroom, teacher wellness, student wellness, classroom relaxation techniques and stress reduction strategies.

Watch the webinar and learn how to bring wellness to your classroom

Mindful Practices is so excited to be a part of Yoga Rocks the Park!

May 20, 2013

Mindful Practices is so excited to be a part of Yoga Rocks the Park! Mindful Practices empowers teachers and students through yoga and wellness to create a better learning environment. Through programs like CoolCorps, Cool and Calm Yoga, Hip-Hop Yoga, Kindness Lab, Yoga Defense, YogaPoms, and YogaBeat, Mindful Practices brings a student-centered and culturally relevant approach to wellness education. Participants at Yoga Rocks the Park will experience the instructors of Mindful Practices who display versatility in their approach to engaging youth and communities from all walks of life. We believe everyone has the knowledge, resources and opportunities to be physically and mentally well and to achieve their highest potential. Let's get ready to have some fun!

View Full Yoga Rocks The Park Schedule

Mindful Practices Helps Chicago Fire Foundation Launch P.L.A.Y.S. Program

March 28, 2013

Mindful Practices is pleased to share the announcement for the launch of the Chicago Fire Foundation P.L.A.Y.S. program (Participate, Learn, Achieve Youth Soccer), a first of its kind of program that integrates soccer with social and emotional learning. In collaboration with World Sport Chicago, the Chicago Fire Foundation, Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL), University of North Carolina, and The University of Chicago, Mindful Practices developed the social emotional learning (SEL) curriculum that focuses on using sport to instill "grit" as a means to grow social and emotional learning skills of youth.

The 10-week P.L.A.Y.S. program will kickoff in eight AUSL schools throughout Chicago.

Visit Chicago Fire Foundation's Website for Full Program Details

YogaInMySchool.com Gives Cooling Down The Classroom a Glowing Review + Book Giveaway!

March 14, 2013

Yogainmyschool.com recently reviewed Mindful Practices’ yoga and wellness classroom management guide, Cooling Down Your Classroom. Here's what they had to say, "WOW! Cooling Down Your Classroom by Carla Tantillo (of Mindful Practices) is a highly impressive school resource which makes it easy to integrate yoga skills into the classroom. As soon as I opened the 190+ page book I was greeted by a plethora of lessons plans and worksheets which can be immediately used in the classroom. Upon delving further I was impressed with the clear layout and fun graphics along with a wealth of substantiating information and resources of the benefits of yoga for school aged children."

Head on over to YogaInMySchool.com to read the full Cooling Down Your Classroom book review and enter to win a copy of the book. The giveaway entry deadline is Friday, March 22 at 9:00 PM MST.

Read Full Review | Buy Cooling Down Your Classroom | Visit Yogainmyschool.com

Mindful Practices’ Founder, Carla Tantillo, Featured in Origin Magazine!

March 7, 2013

Mindful Practices is very pleased to announce that our founder, Carla Tantillo, has been featured in the March/April 2013 edition of Origin Magazine! Head to your local Whole Foods or Barnes and Noble, pick up a copy and flip the magazine open to page 60. Carla appears alongside fellow yogis interested in making a positive impact on the world in the Community Leaders: What’s Your Vision? section.

All of us at Mindful Practices would like to thank Origin Magazine for shining the spotlight on our vision in this month’s issue. We are truly grateful and honored!

You can pick up the physical magazine at Whole Foods or Barnes & Noble. You can purchase the digital copy on Origin Magazine’s website

5 Ways Yoga Can Help Educators Create Safe Environments

February 27, 2013

Mindful Practices team members put together an article for The Whole Child discussing five ways yoga can help educators create safety in their classrooms and schools. Below you can read an excerpt of the article explaining how yoga helps with distress tolerance and emotional regulation

"Not only does yoga teach students to identify when they might be feeling distress, it also teaches them ways to tolerate and regulate their emotions. When a student can pause, identify the feeling causing an intense reaction, and choose an intervention to address that reaction, she can interrupt a negative behavior cycle that might have previously caused injury or harm. This ability also increases tolerance to negative feelings and gives students control over their ability to respond rather than react when confronted with challenging situations."

Read the Full Article on The Whole Child Blog

Mindful Practices at the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children Healthy Teacher Network Workshop

October 23, 2012

The Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children Healthy Teacher Network mission is to assist and empower teachers in their efforts to create healthy school environments. The Healthy Teacher Network Workshop will be held Tuesday, November 27, 2012 from 4:00 – 7:15 pm at Carter Elementary, 5740 S. Michigan. The workshop will provide opportunities for schools to connect with partners that can support health and wellness promotion.

Learn More About CLOCC | Learn More About Healthy Teachers Network

Yoga and Mindfulness Educates the Whole Child

October 16, 2012

Mindful Practices team member Lara Veon wrote an article for The Whole Child discussing the benefits of yoga in the classroom. Read an excerpt of Lara's piece:

"Incorporating yoga and mindfulness meditation into the classroom needn't come at the expense of academic lessons. In fact, in brief 5–10 minute intervals, these approaches can be used as a classroom management strategy to engage student energy and enhance those tricky transitions that often divert so much time away from student learning. By embedding just a few minutes of yoga into the daily classroom routine, teachers create a safe and positive classroom environment, improve the holistic health of their students (and themselves!), and nurture the connection between student achievement and wellness."

Read the Full Article on The Whole Child Blog

Part Two of Healthy Schools Campaign’s Interview with Mindful Practices’ Founder Carla Tantillo

October 9, 2012

The second installment of Healthy Schools Campaign’s interview with Mindful Practices’ founder Carla Tantillo covers the connection between physical activity and learning, the openness of students to relaxation exercises and the objectives of Carla’s latest book Cooling Down Your Classroom.

Read Full Interview | Visit Healthy Schools Campain’s Website

Healthy Schools Campaign Interviews Mindful Practices’ Founder Carla Tantillo About Bringing Mindfulness to the Classroom!

September 26, 2012

Healthy Schools Campaign sat down with Mindful Practices’ founder Carla Tantillo to discuss the importance of bringing mindfulness to the classroom. The first portion of the interview has been posted on Healthy Schools Campaign's blog. Go check the first portion of the Q&A session on mindfulness

Read Full Interview | Visit Healthy Schools Campain’s Website

Mindful Practices Featured in CEC’s Back to School Email!

August 31, 2012

September is National Yoga month and as a part of the celebration The Council for Exceptional Children asked Mindful Practices to contribute some yoga-centered classroom management tips to include in their weekly newsletter. Of course, we gladly agreed! Click here to view our contribution to the email.

The Council for Exceptional Children is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving the educational success of individuals with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. CEC advocates for appropriate governmental policies, sets professional standards, provides professional development, advocates for individuals with exceptionalities, and helps professionals obtain conditions and resources necessary for effective professional practice

View Email Newsletter | Visit CEC's Website

Go for the Gold: Yoga is Fun Article

August 20, 2012

As part of our Go for the Gold celebration, Healthy Schools Campaign asked students to create artwork and write essays about health and wellness at their school. The illustration to the left was drawn by an Ashburn Community Elementary School student as a part of the celebration. Ashburn Community Elementary School, along with other schools implementing Healthy School Campaign's Fit to Learn program, have experienced the benefits of incorporating yoga in the classroom. With yoga, students become focused and ready to learn. Mindful Practices is pleased to help facilitate the Healthy School Campaign's Fit to Learn program.

Read Full Article | Learn how to "Cool Down" your Classroom!

Yoga As A Creative Solution is Back!

August 13, 2012

Mindful Practices & Nature Yoga are pleased to announce that they will be teaming up once again to offer another opportunity to attend Yoga As A Creative Solution! The new session will happen on October 20 (new date & time!) from 2pm–5pm at David Klow & Associates.

To register, either call 847-529-8300 x 0 or email info@davidklow.com. The cost for the session is $75. We look forwarded to seeing you in Skokie!

Register | Details, Directions & More!

Yoga As A Creative Solution, Scholarship and Registration!

June 25, 2012

Mindful Practices is pleased to announce that we will be offering a scholarship opportunity to attend Yoga As A Creative Solution. For those interested, download the application and email the completed form to Melissa Ahrens at Melissa.natureyoga@gmail.com before 5:00pm on July 2, 2012.

Just a friendly reminder that the Yoga As A Creative Solution training is fast approaching! There are limited spaces, so register online now!

Register Online | Download Scholarship Application | Learn More

Can Fitness Brain Breaks Help Improve Test Scores?

June 12, 2012

Mindful Practices visited Kansas to train PE4Life teachers. Watch this cool video to see PE4Life teachers Dave Olson, Mark Yontz and Kate Hoskins using innovative movement and physical activity strategies in their classrooms! In fact, at Norwalk Middle School just twenty minutes of physical activity before ITBS test has led to increased student achievement for the past two years!

Cooling Down Your Classroom Book Launch Party was a Huge Success!

June 5, 2012

A warm thank you to everyone who turned out to support Mindful Practices' book launch party for Cooling Down Your Classroom. The party was a huge success and we have the photos to prove it! Between the HipHop-Yoga class, soulful dance party and touching testimonials, the party truly welcomed Cooling Down Your Classroom to the world in style.

If you were unable to attend and would like to purchase Cooling Down Your Classroom, the book is available online here.

Large Yoga Pose Cards Featured on Fitness and Faith Blog

May 27, 2012

Mindful Practices is pleased to announce that our Large Yoga Pose Cards have been featured in a recent Fitness and Faith blog post entitled The Yoga Band Wagon. In the post, the author and educator, Kima Spaulding, poses a question worth repeating again and again:

"With what our youth faces today as challenges be it stress, inactivity, too much electronics, unhealthy food options, and crazy schedules Yoga can provide them with positive benefits. Why not join in? ... I have been utilizing the cards in my classes for teaching materials. The options are endless with these. The unique part of the card that I have not seen on other cards is at the top left hand corner. It categorizes the mood of the yoga pose. This gets back to what concepts I expose my students to. I can have the students create an individual yoga routine based on mood with these cards. This resource from Mindful Practices attracted a lot of attention at my presentation for DuPage County this past March."

Thanks to Kima for sharing her positive experiences with yoga and Mindful Practices' programs! Be sure to read the entire blog post on Kima's blog Fitness and Faith.

If you're not already aboard the yoga band wagon, why not join in?

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!

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

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!

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!

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!

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

Spring 2010 Teacher Retreat Just Announced!

May 1 & 2, 2010

Based upon the overwhelming success of the sold out 2009 Fall Teacher Retreat, Mindful Practices is proud to announce Saturday, May 1 and Sunday, May 2 as the dates for the upcoming 2010 Spring Teacher Retreat! Join Mindful Practices' founder Carla Tantillo and senior staff members for an intensive weekend of training in the art of integrating wellness and yoga into the classroom.

Get Full Details on Mindful Practices' 2010 Spring Teacher Retreat

Founder of Mindful Practices to Hold Webinar on Positive Behavior & RtI Strategies!

October 2, 2009

On Tuesday, December 1, as a part of Illinois Principal's Association (IPA) webinar series Carla Tantillo, founder of Mindful Practices, will teach an Online Course Webinar titled "Positive Student Behaviors: RtI Strategies to Improve Academic Achievement." This interactive course will present participants with innovative tools to connect positive student behavior and improving academic achievement, learn effective RtI strategies to create a positive school culture and learn how to develop a collaborative wellness curriculum. Registered participants will receive a reading assignment to complete prior to the webinar.

Get Full Details on Mindful Practices' Webinar on Positive Behavior & RtI Strategies

Mindful Practices Goes to Europe!

July 15, 2009

This past summer our Founder, Carla Tantillo, was invited to speak with educators at the Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Conference in Athens, Greece and the International Association of Special Edcuation Conference in Alicante, Spain. As part of this exciting opportunity, Carla was able to share her methods of using yoga in the classroom to promote positive student behavior. By working with educators across the globe, Mindful Practices fulfills its mission of putting wellness in the hands of students and teachers from all walks of life.

View Photos from Mindful Practices Trip to Europe!

Featured on CLTV

March 22, 2009

Mindful Practices is excited to announce that we have been featured on CLTV. Last week CLTV's camera crew showed up at Jefferson Elementary and shot footage of teachers implementing Mindful Practices program Student Wellness in 8-10 Minutes Each Day.

Featured in US News & World Reports!

March 20, 2009

Mindful Practices is excited to announce that US News & World Reports featured our wellness programs at Jefferson Elementary in the article "Schools Battle Student Stress with Creative Strategies." Inside the article Eddy Ramírez writes "studies show that yoga and other stress-management methods, which generally don't include religious teachings, can produce many benefits. Mind-body relaxation, including yoga, can improve self-esteem and boost grades and test scores."

Read the Full Article!

Student Wellness in 8-10 Minutes Now Available!

March 12, 2009

Mindful Practices just published the second edition of Student Wellness in 8-10 Minutes Each Day. The book features 36 yoga poses in an easy cut & paste format that students can use to make Wellness Key Rings. The second edition also includes over 75 ISAT math terms and introduces Mindful Practices' new mascot Yo-Gi who demonstrates how to do each pose.

Get Your Copy of Student Wellness in 8-10 Minutes Each Day!

Hip-HopYoga…What? Article Published!

September 2007

Yoga Chicago has published Carla Tantillo's article Hip-HopYoga…What? in the September / October 2007 edition of Yoga Chicago's publication! In the article Carla Tantillo discusses how Mindful Practices' fused yoga with hip-hop to create, the now highly successful program, Hip-HopYoga. Despite students being skeptical at first, the Hip-HopYoga program gained considerable momentum and is now one of the most requested programs. Here's what one student had to say about the program, "At first, I thought it would be lame. And I was scared of what everyone would think about our performance. But when I started coming to practices, I enjoyed it so much. I think having programs like Hip-HopYoga is important because it is not only fun, but it gets kids off the streets and out of danger."

Read the Full Article!

Y is For Yoga Article Published!

March 2007

Yoga Chicago has published Carla Tantillo's article Y is For Yoga in the March / April 2007 edition of Yoga Chicago's publication! In the article Carla discusses how Mindful Practices' Yoga-Centered Wellness Curriculum (YCWC) is implemented at Jefferson Elementary in Berywn, IL. The article includes observations from the principal at Jeffereson who, among other things, noted, "Yoga develops appropriate student behavior. It works into classroom routines to create natural classroom management by practicing on a daily basis. It reduces disruptive behavior and brings back focus to learning. Children learn tools to act appropriately and to make conscious choices to respond in positive ways to challenges, improving children’s behavior."

Read the Full Article!

Mindful Yoga Practices for Urban Students Article Published!

February 2007

Yoga Chicago has published Carla Tantillo's article Mindful Yoga Practices for Urban Students in the January / February 2007 edition of Yoga Chicago's publication! In the article Carla discusses how Mindful Practices' Yoga-Centered Wellness Curriculum (YCWC) addresses academic, personal and emotional challenges students face. YCWC tackles these issues by reducing student levels of stress, providing successful anger management strategies and enhancing concentration.

Read the Full Article!