Episode 26: Namaste Project - Danielle Brunson, Ed.S, Dr. Kali Arnold, MD, and Jenny Harden
ABOUT THE NAMASTE PROJECT
The Namaste Project provides high-quality, universal social-emotional learning to students, teachers, and families via meditation and mindfulness. They believe classroom teachers and parents are the most effective teachers of mindfulness to children. Their programming supports adults with their own practices, and teaches them to share with the kids in their lives. They offer training to teachers, schools, and parents via multiple methods and on sliding scales as meditation and mindfulness should be accessible to everyone. You can find out more at thenamasteproject.net.
Danielle Brunson, Ed.S. is an Atlanta based mindfulness, meditation, and yoga teacher. She has spent the past 15 years working with children in a variety of settings. She began her career in education as a face to face elementary teacher in the United States and overseas, she then moved into virtual public education. Wanting to do more, Danielle became a school leader and started and headed up 2 statewide charters before coaching and guiding other school leaders to do the same work.When Danielle left the traditional education system to teach kids and adults meditation, mindfulness and yoga, she found her true passion for work. She is passionate about using her skills as a teacher leader and trainer in combination with skills as a yoga and elementary teacher to bring yoga and mindfulness to as many students and adults who work with them as possible.
Dr. Kali Arnold is a 200HR Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher, Pilates teacher, and Reiki Master Practitioner in Atlanta. She specializes in bringing mindfulness and stress release through mediation, yoga, and reiki energy healing. Dr. Arnold began her career in medicine as an orthopedic surgeon. She understands from her own personal experience and working with other professionals with high stress lives that methods such as yoga, meditation and reiki are tools that can aid teachers and students to find the peace and serenity needed to reach their optimal potential. As co-creator of The Namaste Project, Dr. Arnold is passionate about using her skills as a yoga teacher and healer in combination with her extensive medical background to help a variety of clients achieve their best lives through health and wellness.
Jenny Harden is a PK-5 elementary school principal in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. She has a bachelor's degree in Family and Consumer Sciences and Master of Arts in Education, Administrations and Supervision. She has taught in Virginia, North Carolina and West Virginia for a total of 25 years. She is a certified kid yoga instructor, SEL Facilitator and trainer. Harden also is a mindfulness enthusiast and instructional leader. She implemented mindfulness in her elementary school approximately six years ago. Her school is in a rural, low-income area that has been heavily impacted by drug use and has a high percentage of students being raised by grandparents. Students from a local child shelter also attend her school. Harden believes that incorporating 15 minutes of mindfulness into the school's morning schedule has had a positive impact on students and staff.
EXCERPT FROM PODCAST
"Teachers want to know how do I stop this? How do I deescalate? ...You use mindfulness and you get to the root of what’s going on with your students."
- Danielle Brunson, Ed.S.
"If you have the tool of mindfulness, it can improve your relationships, improve focus, and the way you approach life in general. You will see that life around you will change which is the most beautiful part."
- Kali Arnold, M.D.
"If we can make school a safe place, and help them have some mindful tools, and even though they go home to that trauma everyday they know how to better deal with it. Having that time and being able to practice yoga and being kind to myself is priceless."
- Jenny Harden