Madison teachers are ‘Breathing For Change’

Two teachers discussing their lesson plans at Breathe for Change Training in late June. (Kate Jungers/Madison Commons)

A local Madison startup aims to reduce teacher burnout in low-income school districts by bringing mind-body wellness, community building and social learning back into classrooms.

Breathe for Change, the nonprofit founded by Ilana Nankin, Ph.D., was established to bring teaching techniques of complete mind-body wellness to teachers and students in low-income schools.

Nankin, a former Pre-Kindergarten teacher, began to use mind-body wellness techniques in her own classrooms. These techniques include breathing exercises, forms of meditation, physical activity like yoga, and exercises to create positive relationships within the classroom.

She saw incredible results. Children would focus and behave better with other students in the class.

But the mind-body wellness techniques also had a positive impact on another important part of the classroom: teachers. Nankin saw her colleagues set out passionately to work on social issues, but they often fell short of these goals due to the stress of rigorous standards and lack of resources in the classroom. This led to high burn out.

Dr. Ilana Nankin is the founder of Breathe for Change and a former teacher. (Kate Jungers/Madison Commons)

Studies reveal that over 50 percent of K-12 educators leave their jobs after only five years into their careers and 73 percent of teachers report feelings of extreme emotional and physical distress.

“All of the emphasis is on standardized testing and rote memorization, and we are taking a stand and saying wait a second, none of this matters if the kids and teachers don’t have the fundamental foundation of their own wellbeing,” Nankin said. “The social emotional piece is just as, if not more critical than the academic piece, because the academic piece can’t come if the social piece isn’t there.”

Over the past six years as a teacher in the Madison School District, elementary school teacher Virginia Vormann had begun to feel disheartened by her career as a teacher. She decided to apply for a spot at the Breathe For Change teaching training. .

Vorman attributes teachers’ burnout to rigorous standards, reduced resources,increasing class sizes and a lack of social and emotional learning in the classroom. Common Core is important for learning  essential skills like reading and writing but it does not leave room for children to grow socially and emotionally, particularly when students are developing at varying levels.

“In my heart what comes first is the emotional learning aspect, because that’s what sets the foundation to feel confident enough to learn how to read and do math and writing,” Vormann said. “There needs to be a paradigm shift because some schools have removed that aspect completely, which is what Breathe for Change is trying to fix.”

By the end of 2016, Breath for Change will have trained 250 teachers. At the end of June, one group of teachers discussing their lesson plans at the training. (Kate Jungers/Madison Commons)

This type of social learning is especially important in urban school districts where many children have come from backgrounds of trauma, homelessness and poverty. They often need extra support, according to Vorman.

According to Nankin, Breathe for Change offers the only 200 hour wellness and yoga teacher training specifically designed for educators, including guidance counselors, principals, teachers and social workers.

The training certifies educators with the 200-hour Yoga Alliance certificate, while incorporating strategies for the classroom and themes aligned with Common Core social learning standards.

“Even just integrating a few belly breaths or simple breathing techniques before a test, or with a child who is experiencing anger, frustration or trauma makes a huge difference,” Nankin said.

In addition to the training program, Breath for Change now has a school-wide wellness program at eight schools in the Madison area. The program offers professional development, consulting in school leadership and weekly wellness classes for the school.  

Breathe for Change has received notable positive feedback from teachers, administration and parents, according to Nankin.

“Teachers said things like, ‘I would have quit if it weren’t for this, I was so burnout and now I’m refueled,’” Nankin said. “We are going through some deep reflective processes that really are expanding teachers’ capacities to know themselves and be able to teach.”

By the end of 2016, Breath for Change will have trained 250 teachers and reached more than 30,000 students across the country. The next trainings will be held at University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of California–Berkeley and Sesame Workshop in New York. The nonprofit also plans to raise over $300,000 to support under-resourced teachers and schools.

Nankin hopes to continue expanding the Breathe for Change program across the nation in hopes of transforming the lives of students and educators alike.