A hope of Movement and Mindfulness with Mr. Lizza is for students to build meaningful connections with one another through play. In M+M classes, students meditate – linking their breath to movement. They follow a yoga story – building strength and flexibility, as they pose and stretch like the yoga characters in the story. And they exercise to warm up their muscles before playing a movement game. The movement game serves as a vehicle to exercise, learn motor skills and practice social-emotional skills. Following each game, students reflect on the social-emotional focus of the day, and they celebrate each other’s efforts and actions.

Mr. Lizza was born and raised near Detroit, Michigan. He earned a BA in elementary education and a multiple subject teaching credential from University of San Diego. He acquired a physical education credential through UCLA, a children’s meditation and mindfulness certification from Pilgrimage of the Heart Yoga, and a kids’ yoga teacher certification through Cosmic Kids Yoga. Throughout college, Mr. Lizza directed an outdoor day camp, worked as a head lifeguard and led swimming lessons. After college, Mr. Lizza taught K-12 patients at a children’s hospital. And he taught kindergarten for three years – in Michigan, at HTeNC and at HTe. Movement and Mindfulness is Mr. Lizza’s passion project.

Mr. Lizza’s hobbies include beach volleyball, platform tennis, trampolining, biking and board games. He loves to laugh with his cousins, eat spoonfuls of peanut butter and invent his own games.