This innovation was created to intentionally integrate Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) into everyday classroom practice, ensuring that students are not only learning academic content but also developing self-awareness, emotional understanding, and interpersonal skills.
A key focus of this innovation is the Self-Reflection and Discovery component, which was introduced to help students pause, think, and make sense of their learning experiences and emotions. It was designed to give students structured opportunities to reflect on questions such as how they feel, what they have learned about themselves, and how they can grow from their experiences.
This component was needed because students often move quickly from one task to another without processing their thoughts or emotions. By embedding reflection tools like journals, drawings, confidence bridges, and sharing circles, the innovation creates space for meaningful self-discovery.
Ultimately, the goal was to help students build stronger self-awareness, develop emotional regulation, and recognize their strengths and areas for growth—supporting them in becoming more mindful, confident, and resilient learners.
In practice, this innovation is implemented within the PYP framework (up to Grade 5) as a structured SEL approach that evolves across grade levels while maintaining consistent core learning parameters.
Students engage in Self-Reflection and Discovery after lessons, stories, discussions, and experiential activities. They respond to guided prompts such as “How did I feel?” “What did I learn about myself?” and “What can I do better next time?” to help them process their learning and emotions meaningfully.
Across all grades, the key SEL parameters remain the same—self-awareness, emotional regulation, empathy, relationships, and responsible decision-making. However, the depth and intensity of reflection differ by age group. For example, Grade 1 learners engage through simple language, visuals, drawings, and oral sharing, while older PYP learners gradually move towards deeper written reflections and more complex self-analysis.
Students express their understanding through varied tools like drawings, journals, confidence bridges, and sharing circles, ensuring inclusivity and engagement at every developmental stage.
Teachers facilitate this process by guiding reflection, encouraging dialogue, and helping students connect their experiences to real-life contexts. Over time, this creates a consistent culture of reflection and emotional growth, where learners progressively build self-awareness, empathy, and resilience appropriate to their age and stage.
The innovation has been spreading organically from a Yog Art–based SEL starting point into a broader school-wide practice across multiple student groups.
It initially began as a focused reflective and mindfulness-based activity within Yog Art sessions, where students were encouraged to slow down, observe their thoughts, and express emotions through creative and mindful practices. The impact of these early experiences—especially improved calmness, focus, and emotional expression—made the approach meaningful and visible to both students and teachers.
As a result, teachers began adapting similar reflective practices in other subjects and learning contexts. Gradually, the Self-Reflection and Discovery framework was integrated beyond Yog Art into regular classroom learning as part of SEL.
Over time, it expanded into a structured approach for all PYP learners (up to Grade 5), with consistent reflection prompts, tools, and sharing practices being used across grades. The model spread through classroom demonstrations, collaborative planning, peer sharing among teachers, and visible student outcomes.
Today, what started as a focused Yog Art experience has evolved into a school-wide SEL practice, helping a large number of students engage in reflection, emotional awareness, and personal growth across different learning spaces.
Initially, the innovation began as a pilot project through Yog Art, where the focus was on both physical and emotional well-being. It included yoga asanas, mindful movement, and simple practices to help students build body awareness, focus, and emotional calmness.
Over time, based on student engagement and observed impact, the approach was expanded beyond this foundation to include the social and reflective dimensions of well-being, leading to the integration of structured SEL practices such as self-reflection, emotional awareness, and meaningful expression.
The innovation has now evolved into a comprehensive SEL framework for the entire PYP (up to Grade 5). It supports holistic development—social, emotional, and cognitive—while maintaining consistent SEL parameters across all grades.
Today, younger learners engage through visuals, drawings, and simple reflections, while older students explore deeper self-analysis and structured journaling. What began as Yog Art has now grown into a whole-school SEL practice that nurtures self-awareness, empathy, emotional regulation, and overall well-being across the PYP journey.
The whole SEL program is available on:
https://sites.google.com/view/yog-artforchildrenswellbeing/home
For more information, contact:
swati.pathania@prometheusschool.com
swati.sharma@prometheusschool.com
