PAC Meeting Presentation
•
•
•
•
Zones of Regulation
Orca Pod
Inquiry
How do these connect???
ZONES of Regulation
A Curriculum Designed To Foster
Self-Regulation & Emotional Control
What is Self Regulation?
• The manner in which the brain maintains
physiological stability through complex
feedback mechanisms.
• The ability to stay calmly focused and alert.
(Shanker & McKay, 2013)
What is Emotional Control?
• Exercising choice or control to display
appropriate emotions depending on the
circumstances.
Stress…
• Moms have it, dads have it…
• Teachers have it….
Students have it too…
• Often they are unable to recognize or
articulate their needs. They ‘zone out’ and this
places them in emotional and learning
jeopardy.
That ABC Song is STRESSING me out!!!
At Port Guichon
• We recognize that students are dealing with
different emotions all day, every day.
• Some of these emotions come from experiences
at home, on the playground and in our
classrooms.
• The teaching staff recognized a need for students
to learn to identify their emotions and to learn
strategies to help them regulate their emotions
to help them be successful at school and in life.
We chose to use…
ZONES of Regulation
A Curriculum Designed To Foster
Self-Regulation & Emotional Control
What are the Zones?
• Exploring the Traffic Signs and the Zone
Colours.
• There are 4 Zones to Describe how your brain
and body feel.
BLUE Zone
• When you’re in the blue zone, your body is
running slow, such as when you are tired, sick,
sad or bored.
Green Zone
• The Green Zone, like a green light, is when you
are “good to go.” If you are in the Green Zone,
you may feel happy, calm, and focused.
Yellow Zone
• The yellow zone describes when you start to
lose control, such as when you are frustrated,
overwhelmed, silly, wiggly, excited, worried,
anxious or surprised. It is a good idea to use
caution when you are in the yellow zone.
Red Zone
• The red zone is reserved for extreme emotions
like terror, uncontrolled anger, and aggression.
When you are in the Red Zone, you are out of
control, have trouble making good decisions,
and must STOP.
Identifying Zones
• Helping students identify emotions in others
can help them be more aware of their own
emotions and that everyone experiences the
different zones. Before students can correctly
identify the zones in themselves, they must be
able to recognize the zones in others. (p. 54)
How are you feeling???
• All zones are appropriate in specific
circumstances, but that the GREEN ZONE is the
optimal learning zone and the best place to be for
most school activities.
• Feeling and acting RED is totally appropriate
when an unfamiliar dog is charging at you.
• Feeling and acting YELLOW is appropriate when
someone surprises you or gives you a gift.
• Feeling and acting BLUE makes sense when you
are tired, sick or sad.
Once children know
what “zone” they are in we can teach
some strategies to help them…
Sensory Supports
Dependent on sensory
supports and equipment
available.
(See Tools Sheet).
Calming Techniques Thinking Strategies
•6 Sides of Breathing
•Lazy 8 Breathing
•Calming Sequence
•Counting to Ten
•Learning to Take a Deep
Breath
•Big Vs. Little Problems
•Inner Coach Vs. Inner
Critic
•Superflex Vs. Rock Brain
Thinking
What have we done with this…
• Last year, teachers taught students about the
Zones of Regulation in classrooms.
• Mr. Douangchanh, Mrs. Grannery & Mrs.
D’Aoust taught lessons to multi-age groups.
• Zones was the focus of our School Inquiry
Project.
This year…
• We taught staff the Zones Program in our
August Pro D.
• We began our monthly multi age lessons in
September.
• Teachers have been supplied with posters and
are using the language in their daily
interactions with students.
Where Do We Go From Here?
We hope…
• Home-school connections.
• Your child may use the language of the Zones.
(e.g. he or she may refer to the colours of the
zones to describe emotions they are feeling or
are witnessing others feel).
• You can use strategies of the zones or
language found in the Zones of Regulation to
help open communication about emotions
and how to help regulate them.
Zones of Regulation – App
The Orca Pod
What is it???
• The Orca Pod is a Social and Emotional Learning and Self Regulating
Centre.
• It is a place for students to work, supervised, outside the classroom on
both school work and self regulating goals. (Math Manipulatives and other
learning tools are available in the Pod).
• Coming to the Orca Pod can be used as a reward, but overall it is not a
“reward/fun” place for students to escape to. There will be clear
boundaries, rules and practices in place for each student set up between
all members of the Orca Pod Team.
• Coming to the Orca Pod will give students a sense of purpose, rather than
simply taking a break by walking in the halls. Specific sensory tools will be
available for students to use to get work done and to get back into their
classrooms.
• Programs in the Orca Pod will be based on the Zones of Regulation. All
students will do a check in when they arrive. Regular students will have
tool kits in bins and occasional students will be given more general
strategies.
Who are we? The team in the Pod…
•
•
•
•
•
•
Jacqui van Rhyn – Mainstream Support
Karen Tilsley – Educational Assistant
Erin Switzer – Counsellor
Faye O’Neil – Aboriginal Support Worker
Claire D’Aoust – Learning Support Teacher
And…..all of the educators (teachers, EAs and
Principals)
Where are we coming from?
• The Ocra Pod started in the resource room last
year.
• This is a growing trend in the district.
• What we had last year:
– morning start up
– regular lunch time groups (Grade 5 Girls, Grade 1
Boys, Grade 3 Girls)
– Aboriginal Group with Ms. O’Neil
– EAs used with individual students or small groups.
Who is using the Orca Pod now?
• Students with specific learning and selfregulating needs.
• Aboriginal group.
• Academic Language Development Groups.
• Multi-age groupings during teaching of the
Zones of Regulation
Who is welcome?
• Everyone! We encourage this to be a flexible
space and schedule. Some students will need
support at different times and Karen Tilsley
will be based out of the Orca Pod for a portion
of her day to accommodate the needs of
these students.
Inquiry…
Teacher Inquiry
• Essentially teacher inquiry is nothing but a state
of mind… a friendly, welcoming attitude toward
change … going out to look for change instead of
waiting for it to come.
• Teacher inquiry is a method of gaining insight
from hindsight. It is a way of formalizing the
questioning and reflecting that teachers engage
in every day in an attempt to improve student
learning.
• Inquiry is defined as systematic, intentional study
by educators of their own practice.
“The formulation of the problem is often more
essential than its solution.”
We have been asked…
• Where are you going to concentrate your
professional energies so that you can change
the experiences and results for our learners?
• Last year: Zones of Regulation
• This year: we are working on it!
Inquiry Support from the District
• Time for Coordinators of Inquiry
• Several professional development meetings
each year led by Nancy Gordon and Neil
Stephenson.
• Want to learn more?
– Delta Learns
– 180 Days of Learning