Spartans of UD - Katie Bailey

Spartans of UD highlights what makes the University of Dubuque special - the people.

Katie Bailey, MEd, director of the TRIO Student Support Services program and a certified yoga teacher (RYT-200), taught Introduction to Yoga during the first of three face-to-face summer school sessions at the University of Dubuque. Summer courses are open to students of all ages who desire to catch-up, get-ahead, or expand their horizons in the pursuit of college-level learning opportunities.

How do you approach teaching your summer school class, Introduction to Yoga?

"As a summer school class, we have a lot more time and space to dig into the poses, the history, and the foundational tenets of a yoga practice. Being that we meet every day as opposed to twice a week in the semester, I'm able to more quickly see my students' growth, comfortability with more challenging poses, and a sense of ease as they flow and meditate."

What do you hope your students will take away from the class?

"I was really happy we were able to find time as a class to take a field trip to a local studio downtown. Students were able to see a cool part of town they may not have ventured to before, experience a heated class in studio, and get a sense of what it might be like for them to join a yoga or fitness community post-college. I hope that my students take away from this class the value of finding a hobby or physical practice that feels good for them, especially after they graduate and enter the workforce."

What do you enjoy most about teaching yoga?

"As a yoga teacher, I appreciate being able to help my students approach their wellness with a sense of open curiosity and to support them in fostering a strong mind-body connection. We know that mindfulness and breath work can help us better focus, calm our nervous system, and lead to better health outcomes. I love being able to encourage my students to become more attuned to their needs, wants, and intuition so that they can create the lives that they want for themselves."

What piece of advice do you regularly share with your students?

"Being a student can be challenging, and often your attention is being pulled in many different directions. A lot of us are constantly running from one thing to the next without ever taking time to pause and slow down. If you can prioritize being more mindful about your goals, intentions, and positive self-talk, suddenly your tasks feel more meaningful and manageable."

In your opinion, what makes summer school at the University of Dubuque unique?

"As an advisor, I appreciate that we have so many summer school classes available to students looking to stay on track for their graduation goal, make improvements to their GPA, or take a class they might not have otherwise. Summer school courses are unique because they are more likely to incorporate active learning or field trip opportunities. It's a great resource for a student looking to focus more intently on learning within one course at a time."