I do love yoga. But, when I think about what I love about teaching yoga, I realize it’s not the yoga itself. I love the making of something new. My favorite part is sitting to write my sequences. I always start with a theme, usually from something I’m reading, and I try to craft a physical practice that somehow connects to the philosophy itself. I draw a visual of how the energy in the room will flow. I create a playlist of music that will enhance that energy. The final thing I do – the thing I actually put at the bottom of the priorities – is write in the poses that will make up the body of the class.
When I ran the studio, it was the same. I loved the story of the studio, creating the brand, making the visual and sensory experience match what I wanted to convey energetically. I was all about the creation.
The thing I love most about homeschooling is the opportunity it gives me to co-create something with my daughters. We learn alongside each other, suggesting things that would be fun to learn, try, or experience. Making curriculum has been a fun way to put that effort into something tangible and permanent.
Last year, my husband helped me create a garden at our daughters’ enrichment program. The program was so open to our involvement, and the encouragement the teachers gave us was a blessing for our family. But, we got started late in the school year and barely grew a crop before Summer. This year, we tackled the project with vigor! We made sure we’d have time to plant, nurture, harvest, eat, and even make some art with our garden.
The plant that grew best was our arugula; no surprise, it grows like a weed, especially in the cooler seasons in our Mediterranean climate. The school director asked me what to do with it, and instead of answering, I sent her a full 4-week Arugula curriculum.
The kids loved smashing the garlic, measuring the ingredients, and tasting to adjust the seasoning.
I loved connecting with other classes – not just my kids and their classmates – and seeing which parts resonated with which children. Some loved measuring, some loved eating, some loved the sensory experience, some loved the garden bugs, and many loved painting.
I’m sharing the curriculum here in hopes it will find new life with anyone interested. Please know this curriculum represents hours of hard work and bountiful creative energy from our family. It is for your personal use only.
If you intend to use this in any teaching setting, please give us a shout out (and consider sending us a $25 Venmo to @theyogaharbor if you are profiting off our work).