Yoga Innovations created a program called iMaB, Intentional Movement and Behavior and over the last 10 years we have been in school classrooms, assemblies, senior living, community events, professional development and so much more.  

Science has proved time and time again that movement has a positive benefit to our heart, lungs, bones and muscles, and now new research directly links movement to the creation of self-management skills, lowered depression, less anxiety,  remembering things better, and becoming a faster learner. 

In 2017, we reached out to the principle, Nick Fratto, of The Pathfinder School, a school for those with special needs ages 5 – 21 in Bethel Park.  Here, they cater to a myriad of diagnoses and support needs.  

Nick, excitedly accepted our offer, and iMaB was given the opportunity to lead 9 out of the 12 classrooms one to two times a week.

We began the process with lots of talks with teachers, staff, and students. Then we hit the ground running.  

As we expected, the first session presented a multitude of challenges.  Students were still getting use to us and our methods.  We left that first week knowing we had our work cut out for us.  We then went back and watched our video footage of the sessions.  Chaotic? Yes.  Disorderly? Oh yes.  But one thing stood out: the smiles.

Students. Teachers, Support staff.  WE were smiling.  Just about everyone was smiling.

We knew we were onto something.  

As the weeks progressed, we were blown away with the quick connections that were being made.  

Each classroom had its own goals and objectives, and improvements were being seen across the board.  

The smiles never left.

Teachers, staff, and students were surveyed at the end of the 10 weeks.  

97% saw this program as “helpful and relevant” to the students daily lives.

30% of staff began to use these strategies themselves outside of the classroom and within their own daily lives.

100% of those surveyed wanted iMaB in their classroom again next year.

The iMaB team hit the ground running again.  This time to help The Pathfinder School pay for the full year program.  Grants were applied for and fundraising efforts went into full effect.

In the heat of brainstorming, word came in.  We won the grant! SEL in Action Grant came through with $25,000.  This was just enough to get us going for the full 2019-2020 school year.  

We set our classroom goals and strategies, and got to work.  This time we were interested to see how it went at the beginning of this school year, now that most were familiar with us.

We were happy to learn most of the students who had returned from the past year, retained almost everything they had learned before.  

Then we observed how new students acclimated compared to the previous year.  As hoped, the transition was much smoother as this time they had the examples of their peers to guide their interest.  

Goals were crushed again and again.  Each classroom finding more and more movement and creating their own coping skills.

Six weeks into the program, we surveyed the staff and asked “do you see students using the coping skills outside of the iMaB session?”

20% said yes.

50% replied students behaved and acted differently after an iMaB session, noting they were “more relaxed,” “less anxious,” “a decrease in hyper activity and more focused,” and “happier.”

The top goal was  for “students to willingly participate in the session.”  We accomplished our goal.  These numbers were on the rise.  Students who choose not to participate in the beginning, eventually found their way into the session.

Another objective was to decrease the amount of support students needed with each skill.  This goal was accomplished too.  Gradually students needed less guidance.

As the weeks went on, we were able to increase the challenges and add more and more skill play.  We had the occasional student who still choose not to participate. Though, the interesting part was, most of the time, they didn’t try and leave.  They watched.  They listened. They noticed the shift in focus of their peers and teachers.  They too saw the smiles around them.

The developments we saw across the board gave us proof of what we were doing, was working.  

Movement, even the slightest amount has been scientifically proven to have positive effects on the body and brain.  Coping skills are not “common sense.”  Moreover, these skills are rarely taught— or even demonstrated— at a young age.  

If we can bask in the positive implications of movement and have the power to make ourselves “feel ok,” imagine the ripple effects.  Not only is the individual impacted by their own hard work, but so are the people close to them. 

iMaB accomplished our goal to help The Pathfinder School continue their mission of offering a pathway to independence.  

Watch our short video (or the long one below) to see our work there in action!

Watch our full video here!