Yoga Teaches Healthy Choices in Belleville

Stephanie Meir, Belleville’s 5th-12th Grade Band Director, had been practicing yoga on and off for years before she decided to seek teacher training during the pandemic.  She had also practiced meditation since 2019, and felt that yoga might be a logical choice for many in her field experiencing stress-induced anxiety as the result of the onset of COVID-19.

Things still weren’t fully in person when Meir was trying to find a teaching program, but as she searched she found “Breathe for Change”, which is a yoga teacher training designed for educators.  It offered an online program and she completed monthly coursework along with a live weekend each month so she could connect with the team and practice her teaching.

“During our coursework we would practice teaching meditation, beginning-to-intermediate yoga poses, and SEL techniques,” says Meir.

During the program, she met people from all over the country and loved the diversity of the participants.

Meir notes, “Yoga has its roots in meditation, and I found myself wanting to learn more about it.”

Meir completed her teacher training through “Breathe for Change” in November of 2021, and is now a Registered Yoga Teacher (RTY-200) through the Yoga Alliance.  In helping herself through the practice of yoga, Stephanie knew from experience what yoga and meditation could do for her fellow teachers.  She decided to offer her expertise to interested staff in the School District of Belleville.

“The Peaceful Warriors Club was something that I had in my mind before I even started my teacher training.  I just wanted to share the benefits of yoga and mindfulness with my school community.  The club is for anyone in the district:  staff, students, and faculty.  It started as an informal weekly practice and now is an official school-sanctioned club,” reflects Meir.

Yoga can help with work-related stress and practicing it routinely can help staff find a better work/life balance.  Meir had already experienced the benefits of yoga in her daily life and so it was a logical next step for her as a teacher to want to teach others.

Meir explains, “Yoga helps quiet the mind.  When you connect your breath to the movements, it activates your parasympathetic nervous system (a.k.a. the rest and digest mode).  It has great benefits for your mind as well.  Our days are normally spent with our brain working in beta mode, these are alert, working brain waves.  Yoga and meditation can bring us into the theta state, which promotes relaxation and problem solving.  When you practice yoga routinely, you can improve your overall wellbeing, lower your blood pressure, increase your strength, and help your flexibility.  It’s a win-win-win for your body!”

While Stephanie Meir considers herself to be an introvert, she finds that yoga also helps her recharge after busy and draining days.  It is the quiet and stillness of the practice that she loves.  Just sitting by herself doing yoga offers a space to ground herself again after she’s experienced all the challenges her workday has brought with it.  Teaching others how to do the same is both satisfying and inspiring!

Colleague and educator Nicole Vesperman has experienced Meir’s teachings first-hand and applauds her efforts.  “I have participated in Steph’s yoga class whenever I can for the last two school years.  I love how she makes it accessible for everyone.  She offers several different options and modifications for poses so that even someone new to yoga doesn’t feel intimidated by it.”

“Steph has also helped me with my high school Academic Success class through yoga.  One of the focuses of the class is mindfulness.  She has helped me by giving ideas for different types of meditation that I can do with my class, and she even led us in a yoga session during one class period,” highlights Vesperman.

In addition to Meir’s weekly free yoga sessions for staff, she also leads a “Mindful Monday” practice most weeks before the school day begins.  Together they do quiet mediations (Vipassana), metta meditations (loving kindness), and body scans – just to name a few.  These meditation sessions help educators prepare for their week ahead.

Wellness has been top of mind for District Administrator Nate Perry for his staff as they work to offer healthy choices to benefit employees as part of the Belleville learning community.  Meir’s work has been an essential part of improving morale during the pandemic and beyond.

Perry underscores her efforts, “Steph has led this initiative from the start.  She saw a need, acted upon it, and filled the need with our staff, and now our students.  I have been impressed with the staff that she has connected with, as they gather in the high school’s library every Thursday after school.  Steph’s teaching has had a definitive impact on grounding our staff, making them more effective in their classrooms and with our students.”