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Phase 1: Exit slips
Exit slips are students’ responses to how they felt the lesson went and how the yoga practice affected them in both specific lessons and at more general times. (See Addendum A for exit slip questions.) Leigh (2012, p. 190) explains that exit slips help students to reflect on their learning and are a tool teachers can use to document student learning, allowing students to “digest ideas, to question, to ponder, to ruminate over what has been shared and discussed in class”. Leigh (2012, p. 195) argues that exit slips “provided a safe place” for students to respond and ask questions. Bafile (2004) and Sterrett, Fiddner and Gilman (2010) agree that exit slips are an efficient way for teachers to check for understanding from their students to get a sense of how their students are feeling. Exit slips allow students to summarise their thinking and reflect upon their learning and give teachers a better idea of how students are feeling (Education World, 2015). The use of exit slips in the classroom is increasing as more teachers discover how useful the information gained from exit slips can be (Education World, 2015; Leigh, 2012; Sterrett et al., 2010).
The exit slips used in this study gave insight into students’ thoughts and feelings about the incorporation of yoga techniques into the classroom routine. The use of exit slips enabled the participants to give their thoughts and opinions at the time of the event. However, when using exit slips, I needed to rely on the participants for data. I therefore had to trust that they would be honest and take the exit slips seriously. The students used their own words to express themselves. They told me whether the yoga techniques had helped them and also what they liked and did not like. Some teachers have started using exit slips in their teaching and they are proving to be a useful form of data collection. The exit slips were analysed for themes and patterns.
Phase 1: Surveys
In order to allow participants to give answers quickly and efficiently after yoga techniques were practised, a survey was used. A survey of the class involved written questions about lessons and students’ feelings and thoughts about the use of yoga techniques. This gave insight into how the class and students felt about the yoga techniques being used and also allowed me to track how these feelings changed over time (see Addendum C for questions). Surveys are similar to exit slips, but differ in that the survey provided more controlled answers. The questions were not open-ended as was the case with the exit slips (Denzin & Lincoln, 2008; Patton, 1990; Seale, 2007). The students needed to think over the past month of practising yoga techniques, not simply one specific occasion. This gave more of an overview of the students’ perceptions relating to the incorporation of yoga techniques into the classroom.
Using a survey enabled respondents to answer in their own time without me, the researcher, sitting and waiting for a response. It was essential that the questions used were carefully formulated and planned in order to obtain the necessary data (Terre Blanche & Durrheim, 2002; see Addenda A and K). Anonymity was also possible as I knew who answered what (Terre Blanche & Durrheim, 2002). When interviewing, even though I did not write down names, I was still able to see the person who was talking.
The classroom teachers were also given a survey. This was an open-ended survey. By allowing time for the teachers to write down their answers and think about their answers in private, I was able to get greater insight into how they felt than I would have gotten if I had been sitting next to them waiting for a response. The teachers took the time to carefully consider the questions on the survey, which I appreciated.
Phase 1: Observations
Observations are objective notes of what is happening, and includes descriptions of feelings, thoughts and details about proceedings. This can pertain to the weather, the physical room, sounds or noises, and what is actually happening. Observations gave information about how focused students were and how much they were actually working on lessons or whether they were socialising, and also how teachers responded to different conversations. These observations provided insights into students’ focused attention, how the use of yoga techniques went, and how the teachers felt about it. These observations also provided information about what the classroom felt like at the time, e.g. what the weather was like that day and how teachers’ expressions or body language changed throughout a conversation.
Phase 1: Data analysis
As previously explained in Chapter 3, the data for this study was collected in two separate phases. The data from phase 1 largely focused on the students’ perceptions towards yoga techniques in the classroom, and on the logistics of implementing yoga techniques into the classroom, as well as what the two teachers involved observed and perceived. This data is discussed in the first section of this chapter. After the data had been analysed, several themes emerged which supported previously conducted research on how students perceive yoga and yoga techniques being integrated into the classroom. The following illustrates the themes which emerged from the phase 1 data: positive feelings, improved focus and concentration, and changes in student behaviour. The themes which emerged during the analysis of the data from phase 1 led to the question: With all these benefits, why have yoga techniques not as yet been implemented in the classroom? This question relates to the critical question of this research; how does insight into teachers’ beliefs, perceptions and opinions about yoga aid the understanding of the incorporation of yoga techniques into the classroom? Both questions focus on creating a greater understanding surrounding how yoga techniques can be integrated into the classroom. These questions focus on the microsystem from Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1994, 1979, 1977). This theory helped direct the analysis of the data collected by a presenting a way to understand and separate a variety of factors that may influence the incorporation of yoga techniques into the classroom.
Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Purpose of study
1.2 Rationale for study
1.3 Research question
1.4 Working assumptions
1.5 Concept clarification
1.6 Definitions
1.7 Outline of chapters
1.8 Conclusion
Chapter 2: Literature review
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Yoga for children
2.3 Yoga techniques and learning
2.4 Yoga techniques as an intervention for attention difficulties (ADHD/ADD)
2.5 Yoga techniques, stress and relaxation
2.6 The application of yoga techniques for learners with special needs and as a therapeutic tool
2.7 Yoga techniques in schools
2.8 Challenges to incoporating yoga techniques into the classroom
2.9 Classroom climate and yoga techniques
2.10 Conceptual framework
2.11 Conclusion
Chapter 3: Methodology
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Metatheoretical paradigm
3.3 Research design
3.4 Data for two phases
3.5 Data collection
3.6 Data analysis: Phases 1 and 2
3.7 Ethical considerations
3.8 Ethical guidelines
3.9 Role of the researcher
3.10 Trustworthiness
3.11 Conclusion
