“You can do it at times when you’re angry or sad” First grader Davis Kins said. A sweaty first grade class coming back from from recess rests on the pinstripe carpet awaiting their teacher’s command on how to configure themselves for yoga. She begins to read a book compiled of different yoga positions to get the the children to relax and recenter themselves. This is a time to let go and recharge for Alexandra Bearman’s first grade class.

Bearman is the new Head Teacher for the first grade. Prior to this position, she was a

Parker PM Assistant and substitute teacher, but then went on to fill in for two maternity leaves– one for first and one for fourth grade–in one school year. Three years previous to that, she was the assistant teacher for Head Second Grade Teacher Cathy Davidson’s class.

This is Bearman’s fifth year working at Parker, and she still admires the same aspects which initially drew her in. “I went to a progressive high school myself” Bearman said. “That kind of had a similar culture,” She was directed to apply for a position at Parker by the principal of her high school, John Burroughs in St. Louis, Missouri, because it was very similar Parker. Bearman greatly appreciates the “learning by doing” emphasis of progressive schools.

But why to first grade? “I just have always wanted to be a first grade teacher” Bearman said, “because I think that it’s a year of so much learning and growth that happens,” Bearman remembers the significance of reading in her own first grade curriculum and wants to give her students the same support and confidence to read as her first grade teacher did for her.

Aside from reading, Bearman also values mindfulness and readjusting to the body’s needs. She sets aside time for her students to calm their bodies through either meditation or yoga. These times are often after a high energy activity such as recess or P.E. Bearman said, “It’s important for them to learn how to control their own bodies and have those tools they can use at any time,”

Students really enjoy the designated time for them to relax. “It makes me happier and more calm.” First grader Madeline Boxerman said.

After graduating from Washington University in St. Louis, Bearman recently finished her master’s degree in literacy from DePaul University, which has been helpful in introducing new ways of learning to her fellow colleagues and students. She has also been able to teach the other first grade teachers about what’s new in the world of education, like how to use yoga as a form of stress relief. They have also been able to educate her on some older tips and tricks.

Bearman also has a feel for what comes next. “Because she taught second grade for three years, she understands where the kids are going,” Head of the Lower School Kimeri Swanson-Beck said. “She knows what’s going to be asked of them in second grade. With the knowledge of the path which the students will soon follow, she is able to better prepare them for what’s to come.”