BENT ON LEARNING INC
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Mission Statement
Bent On Learning brings yoga into New York City public schools and transforms classrooms into healthier, more compassionate learning environments where kids can thrive. For 20 years, we have been providing weekly yoga programs to schools during the academic day, serving over 22,000 children to date and paving the way for making well-being an integral part of the curriculum of our schools.
About This Cause
THE PROGRAM: Kids need to be healthy and happy in order to learn. Bent On Learning brings yoga into New York City public schools and teaches kids how to be healthier, happier and more focused -- making them more prepared for academic, personal and professional success for years to come. WHY YOGA IN THE CLASSROOM? Yoga is unique in its ability to quickly and efficiently reduce stress, increase focus and address a child's attitude about themselves. Unlike other programs that focus solely on physical health, mindfulness or academic achievement, Bent On Learning’s curriculum addresses the whole child and develops physical, cognitive, social and emotional intelligence in children. Our program takes place during the school day to have maximum impact on children’s wellbeing and to reach kids who may not otherwise have access to these transformative practices. Our teachers have extensive expertise in yoga and mindfulness, years of experience working with vulnerable youth and relevant certifications. All have completed Bent On Learning’s 95-hour Children’s Yoga Teacher Training -- a highly regarded professional development program that shares our unique expertise in teaching yoga in the largest school system in the country for the past 20 years. In 2019, the New York City Department of Education invited us to help them train 75,000 school teachers in yoga and mindfulness for their classrooms. THE IMPACT: Studies show that yoga’s combination of movement with breathing, relaxation and meditation exercises not only improves physical health, but also has a positive impact on emotional and cognitive intelligence. Since taking yoga: • 88% of students report to have a more positive attitude toward themselves • 96% report that they are kinder toward their friends, families, teachers and others • 82% of students report to use breathing techniques to calm down when they feel angry • 76% of students report to use breathing techniques to help them focus • A preliminary study in 2013 revealed that Bent On Learning’s yoga program created significant gains in students’ emotional regulation. This work was authored by Leslie A. Daly, MA, MS, LCAT, RYT; Sara C. Haden, PhD; and Marshall Hagins, PhD, PT of Long Island University; and funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. • Every year, Bent On Learning measures program impact using a core set of research-based social-emotional (SEL) youth outcomes that are correlated with academic success, reduced risky behaviors, and increased thriving. Young people with strong SEL skills are more college- and career-ready, experience better mental health and social functioning, and report a greater sense of overall well-being. An impact evaluation on 112 BOL high school students during the 2015-17 academic years found that 83% of them made statistically significant gains in positive youth development. While most students showed improvement in self-management and positive identity, the most dramatic change was seen in academic self-efficacy (+47 points, based on a 100-point scale). After taking weekly Bent On Learning yoga classes at their school, students with the lowest confidence in their ability to attain academic success improved the most. THE COST: $250 provides one child with weekly yoga classes for one year $2,000 provides up to 25 children weekly yoga classes for a semester $4,000 provides up to 25 children weekly yoga classes for a year THE NEED: Budget cuts and increased testing leave our schools with little time, space and money to provide kids with adequate health or physical education. Yoga in the classroom is cost effective (only $8 per child, per class, without the need for special clothing or equipment), requires only the space of the classroom, and increases time for learning by reducing behavioral issues and increasing the attention of kids. Classroom teachers report that their students are more engaged and ready to learn directly following a Bent On Learning class. With the rise of mental health issues among children and adolescents around the world, compounded by COVID-19, political violence and pervasive racism, our program is more critical than ever. Yoga and mindfulness can give young people agency over their own mental health and wellbeing. WHAT'S NEXT: With most schools operating via remote-learning due to COVID-19, we are pivoting our program and training to make it available online with the same excellence as our in-person offerings. Soon we will be able to show the world what kids and teachers in New York City classrooms have experienced for the past 20 years: a yoga program for young people that develops an ongoing practice of care for oneself, others and the environment and makes wellbeing an integral part of education.