GUIDELINES FOR CERTIFICATION OF PRIMARY/ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

YOGA TEACHER UNDER YOGA EDUCATION AND TRAINING.

The YCB Technical Committee approved the syllabus and guidelines for certification of
Primary/Elementary School Yoga Teachers under Yoga Education and Training.

The certification of Primary/Elementary School Yoga Teachers will be done by YCB

approved PrCBs, Leading Yoga Institutions, Yoga Institutions, Yoga Training & Therapy
Centres and Yoga Training Centres.

The curriculum has five major components:

(1) Framework of assumptions: This includes the learners, i.e. the enrolled candidates and the
students from Class I to Class XII and their capacity and ability, aptitude and potential for
learning, motivation, needs, interests and values as well as their orientation to nurturing or using
the lessons gainfully.

(2)Aims and objectives: The course aims at training the enrolled candidates in:
a) inspiring, and motivating the kids of different age-groups to learn different yogic
techniques;
b) acquiring adequate knowledge of the subject;
c) learning numerous teaching methods for varied age-groups of kids;
d) facilitating the provision of study materials and resources that can be used in a classroom;
e) developing necessary pedagogic skills;
f) understanding the significance of individual differences in children and to take
appropriate steps for their optimum development
g) developing requisite competencies for dealing with the 21st century issues relating to the
choices and challenges of students.

(3) Content or subject-matter: The Course focuses on the following: Yogic concepts of
Ashtanga Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Surya Namaskara, history of Yoga, different branches of Yoga,
concept of ahara, panchamahabhuta, triguna, practical teachings on important yogic techniques.

(4) Modes of transaction include: teaching methods in Yoga, course materials for teachers, and
study materials for students.

(5) Evaluation methods include: observation of skills of teachers and assessment of the yogic
techniques taught to the students.
The eligibility criteria, distribution of marks and syllabus for Primary/Elementary School
Yoga Teacher are as follows:

Name Certificate holder can function as Competencies

Primary/Elementary Shall act as Yoga teacher in Equivalent to not less

School Yoga Teacher Primary/Elementary School for preventive than 200 hours of
health care of primary school kids (Class I Yoga Training
to VIII). programme.

1. Name of the certification: Primary/Elementary School Yoga Teacher

2. Requirement/Eligibility:
i. For admission to the course, the candidate should have passed 12th standard/higher
secondary school certificate from a recognized board or equivalent organisation. However,
the Yoga Institutions can define their own eligibility. (Open candidates should not be
entertained)
ii. Candidates must have experience of Yoga Teaching in any institution for at least 1500
hours after obtaining their Yoga education.

3. Brief role description: Certified Yoga School teacher to teach Yoga for preventive health
care for school kids (Class I - Class VIII).
4. Personal attributes: The job requires individuals to have good communication skills, time
management skills, and the ability to understand the body language of students. The job
requires individuals to possess key qualities such as self-discipline, confidence, maturity,
patience, compassion, active listening, time management, empathy, language proficiency.
5. Credit points for certificate: 12 credits (where 1 credit = approximately 16 hours of theory
and practical combined).
6. Duration of the course: Not less than 200 hours or not less than 3 months (i. e. 6 hours
weekly—could be ‗3 hours per day‘)as part time; or not less than 200 hours or 1.5 months as
full-time course (i. e. 6 hours a day in a 6-day a week). One month is too less for equipping
the teachers for trainingin this course.
7. Minimum age: 18 years; however, there is no upper age limit to enroll for admission to this
course.
8. Marksdistribution: Total Marks: 200 (Theory: 60 + Practical: 140)
Marks Distribution:
Level Total no. Marks Question Distribution Credits
of marks distribution

Primary/Elementary 200 marks 30% Theory 60 questions of 1 mark each 12

School Yoga
Teacher 70% Practical Practical for 140 marks
9. The candidate has to secure 70% marks in each of the theory and practical to qualify/pass the
assessment. However, a maximum of 5% grace marks may be given either for theory/practical
paper, but the overall qualifying percentage shall remain 70%.
10. In case marks are in decimal figure, it should be rounded off to the next higher number.
11. The number of questions to be equally divided in all units and sub units.
12. The validity of the Certificate shall be for 5 years after certification.

Theory

S. No. Unit name Marks

1 Introduction to Yoga and Yogic Practices 20

2 Yoga for Value Education 20

3 Yoga for Personality Development 20

Total 60

Practical

S No. Practical Work Marks

A Teaching technique skills/Yoga games 80

B Demonstration Skills 40

C Knowledge and Attitude 20

Total 140
 Syllabus for Primary/Elementary School Yoga Teacher

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO YOGA AND YOGIC PRACTICES

1.1 Yoga: Meaning, definitions of Yoga
1.2 Aims, objectives andmisconceptions
1.3 Guiding principles to be followed by Yogapractitioners
1.4 What is mind? Mindfulness for better concentration
1.5 Stories from historical characters, saintly personalities from India
1.6 Stories related to Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga
1.7 Sadhakbadhaktattvas –Conducive and non-conducive qualities/ habits (and positive habits)
for a disciplined lifestyle
1.8 Prakriti and Asanas
1.9 Introduction to SukshmaVyayama
1.10 Introduction to Yogasana

UNIT 2: YOGA AND VALUE EDUCATION

3
2.1 Functional anatomy/regional anatomy – 8 regions of the body
2.2 Difference between asanas and exercises
2.3 Human values from Yama of Patanjali Yoga Sutra
2.4 Moral values from Panchatantra
2.5 Moral values from Epics, Bhagwad Gita
2.6 Categories of Asanas (Meditative, Cultural, Dynamic, Static, Abdominal compression and
Relaxation)
2.7 Health and hygiene
2.8 Trataka and its types
2.9 Yogic games – Krida Yoga
2.10 Concentration points (adharas) to increase focus

UNIT 3: FOUNDATION OF PERSONALITY

3.1 Yogic attitudes - Maitri, Karuna, Mudita,Upeksha; Social skills for a congenial behavior in
society; Conditioning activities, games, music and movement of body parts
3.2 Concept of bhavas - Dharma, Jnana, Vairagya, Aishvarya
3.3 Practical on Karma Yoga
3.4 Nature our teacher - Imitation of birds and animals
3.5 Guru – ShishyaParampara (through stories of Swami Vivekananda, ShivajiMaharana, and
others)
3.6 Short term goal setting – conducive and non-conducive path to the goal
3.7 Acceptance to each other's religious thinking and values
3.8 Introduction to SthulaVyayama
3.9 Shodhanakriyas – Neti, Trataka
3.10Body-mind connection through introduction to Pranayama

4. Practical
A. TEACHING SKILLS AND ATTITUDEincludes structure of class, and learning process in
psycho-physical and affective domain.
4.1 Prayer: Concept and recitation of Pranava andhymns.
Pranavajapa is recitation on the sacred mantra Om, as outlined in the Upanishads, the Bhagavad
Gita, and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Focusing the mind on the sound of the mantra ―Aum‖ –
the sacred syllable that both symbolizes and embodies Brahman, the Absolute Reality – as the
mantra is constantly repeated in unison with the breath.
The Upanishads (both the major and minor) are full of references to Aum and meditation on
Aum. Given below is a small sample:
"He who utters Om with the intention ‗I shall attain Brahman‘ does verily attain Brahman." -
Taittiriya Upanishad 1.8.1
"The Self is of the nature of the Syllable Om... Meditate on Om as the Self" - Mandukya
Upanishad 1.8.12, 2.2.3)
"God is the Syllable Om, out of Him proceeds the Supreme Knowledge." – Shvetasvatara
Upanishad 4:17)
4.2 Simple hand, neck, trunk and leg movements:
• Neck movements
• Eye ball movements
 • Arms Rotation
• Finger strengthening
• Shoulder rotation
• Jogging
• Toe walking
• Heel walking
• Animal walks – Frog hopping, Bear walk, Tiger walk, Crow walking, Pigeon
walk, Elephant walk, etc
• Drill walking
• Hand claps
• Donkey kick
• Rowing
• Chakkichalana
• Bhunamana
• Butterfly strokes
• Cycling –forward and backward
• Paschimottana – Halasana stretch
• Naukachalana
4.3 SuryaNamaskara (Class 3 onwards)
4.4 Yogasana
 Tadasana
 Vrikshasana
 Garudasana
 Utkatasana
 Dandasana
 Sukhasana
 Padmasana
 Vajrasana
 Swastikasana
 Simhasana
 Ardhapadmasana
  Bhadrasana
 NiralambaBhujangasana
 Ardhashalabhasana
 Makarasana
 Uttanapadasana
 Pawanamuktasana
 Shavasana
 Breathing with Awareness
 Trataka
4.5 Preparatory BreathingPractices
 Sectional breathing (abdominal, thoracic andclavicular)
 Yogic deepbreathing
4.6 Pranayama
 Concept of Puraka and Rechaka
 AnulomaViloma/NadiShodhana
 Bhramari (withoutKumbhaka)

4.7 Understanding of Mudra

 Hasta Mudras (Panchamahabhuta mudra – Prithvi, Varuni, Prana, Vaayu, Akasha)
4.8 Practices leading to Meditation and DhyanaSadhana
 Recitation of Pranava&Soham
 Recitation of selected hymns, invocations and prayers from Vedas &Upanishads
 Body and breathawareness

B. DEMONSTRATION SKILLS: Thecorrect technique to perform and confidence in

demonstrating each practice (which is to be taught in group as well as individually).

C. KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE: Yogic games, Story-telling based on moral values drawn
from Upanishads, dramatics, mime acts based on Bhagvad Gita, Upanishads.
 Reference books for Theory
Basavaraddi, I. V. & others Yoga Teachers
: Manual for School Teachers, MDNIY, New
Delhi, 2010
Goyandka, Harikrishandass Yoga Darshan, Geeta Press, Gorakhpur (Samvat 2061).
Swami Vivekananda Jnana Yoga,
: Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, Raja Yoga (4
separate books) AdvaitaAshrama, Kolkata.
Sahay G. S. Hathayogapradipika, MDNIY, New Delhi, 2013

Gita press Gorakhpur Shrimad

: Bhagavad-Gita,
Gita press Gorakhpur, Samvat 2073
Quality Council of India (QCI) :
Yoga professionals Official Guidebook for Level 1
Excel Books, New Delhi 2016
Brahmachari Swami Dhirendra :
Yogic SuksmaVyayama,
Dhirendra Yoga Publications, New Delhi, 1986
Kalayan Upanishads (23rd year Special)
Geeta Press, Gorakhpur
Gore M. M. Anatomy and Physiology of Yogic Practices,
KanchanaPrakashana, Lonavala, 2004
Sadhakas Yoga for
: Youngsters. The Yoga Institute, Santacruz,
Mumbai.

ShriYogendraji Guide to Yoga Meditation, The Yoga Institute,

Santacruz, Mumbai.
:
DrVikasChothe Panchatantra and Yoga Sutra, Columbus publishing and
services ISBN 978-93-85456-25-1

Swami Karmananda Management

: of Common Diseases,
Bihar Yoga Publication Trust, 2006, Munger
Reference books for Practicum
Brahmachari
1 Swami Dhirendra : Yogic SuksmaVyayama,
. Dhirendra Yoga Publications, New Delhi
Brahmachari,
2 Swami Dhirendra : YogasanaVijnana,
. Dhirendra Yoga Prakashana, New Delhi

Iyengar,
3 B. K. S. : Light on Yoga,
. Harper Collins Publisher, New Delhi, 2005

Saraswati,
4 Swami Satyananda : Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha
. Bihar School of Yoga, Munger, 2006

Basavaraddi,
5 I.V. : A Monograph on Yogic SuksmaVyayama, MDNIY,
. New Delhi, 2016

Basavaraddi,
6 I.V. : A Monograph on Shatkarma,
. MDNIY, New Delhi, 2016

Basavaraddi,
7 I.V. : A Monograph on Yogasana,
. MDNIY, New Delhi, 2016

Basavaraddi,
8 I.V. : A Monograph on Pranayama,
. MDNIY, New Delhi, 2016

Tiwari
9 O.P. : Asana Why &How ?
. Kaivalyadhama, SMYM Samiti, Lonavala

Saraswati,
1 Swami Satyananda : Surya Namaskara
0 Bihar School of Yoga, Munger, 2006
.
Quality
1 Council of India (QCI) : Yoga professionals Official Guidebook for Level 1
1 Excel Books, New Delhi 2016
.
Basavaraddi,
1 I. V. & others : Yoga Teachers Manual for School Teachers, MDNIY,
5 New Delhi, 2010
.
Gharote,
1 M.L. : Teaching Methods for Yogic practices, Kaivalyadhama
6 Ashram, Lonavla
.
Iyengar,
1 B.K.S : Yoga Shastra (Vol-I & II) RamamaniIyenger
7 Memorial Yoga, Institute, Pune.
.
SmtHansaJayadevaYogendra
1 Cyclopedia Vol. 1& Vol. 2, The Yoga Institute,
8 Santacruz, East Mumbai.

Nagendra HR, Mohan T, ShriramA :Yoga in Education Vol-1, Vivekananda Kendra

Yoga AnusandhanaSamsthana.
Yoga Research Foundation Bangalore.