A Whole Classroom Approach to
Self-Regulation
Presented by:
Meg Niesen, School Psychologist
8/31/09: MMSD Leadership Conference
What is self-regulation?
Self-regulation is…
the ability to regulate feelings and actions in
a socially appropriate manner.
EMOTIONAL REGULATION
BEHAVIORAL REGULATION
Self-regulation
Emotional Regulation…the ability to label
feelings, express feelings safely, and
regulate one’s internal reactions to situations
SO AS TO not be overwhelmed by our
feelings in negatively perceived situations.
Behavioral Regulation….capacity to “read”
social situations and adjust behaviors
accordingly SO AS TO meet the demands of
environmental and social interactions.
Positive Behavior Supports
Why is self-regulation important?
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Improved self-esteem
Increased learning
Improved self-control
Increased positive relationships
Improved self-directedness
Increased engagement
Why do some kids just not get
how to self-regulate?
Biologically speaking,
Neurological Differences
Psychologically speaking,
Disturbed Attachment Relationships
Practically speaking,
Need for Explicit Instruction
The Self-Regulation Curriculum
5 core lessons (CPRED) with optional extension
activities
C
Calm-Down Spot
P
Positive Words
R
Relax
E
Express Yourself
D
Distract Yourself
Each lesson utilizes activities that promote the
development of emotional regulation and
behavioral regulation skills.
Introducing the 5 Do Somethings
When you don’t feel good,
it’s your job to
Do Something
to make yourself feel better.
Lesson 1: Calm-Down Spot
Lesson 1: Calm-Down Spot
Emotional Regulation
“Positive vs. Negative Feelings”
Rationale:
Children must first learn to differentiate feelings that
make themselves and others feel “good” and
feelings that make themselves or others feel “not
good.”
Explicitly teaching children the verbal and
nonverbal cues we use to make these
differentiations is key.
Lesson 1: Calm-Down Spot
Emotional Regulation
“Positive vs. Negative Feelings”
Activity: Thumbs Up-Thumbs Down
Show children feeling face pictures and ask them:
• Does this person feel good or does this person feel
not good?
• Would you want to feel this way or would you NOT
want to feel this way?
• Does feeling not good mean that you are “in
trouble”?
Lesson 1: Calm-Down Spot
Behavioral Regulation
“Find Your Spot”
Rationale:
A variation on “fight or flight,” the calm-down spot
teaches students to utilize an adult-approved flight
strategy to avoid potential problems.
Emphasize to students that a calm-down spot is not a
specific place but rather a choice to retreat from a
conflict and return to a state of calm.
Lesson 1: Calm-Down Spot
Behavioral Regulation
“Find Your Spot”
Activity: Calm-Down Pictures
Identify calm-down spots in the classroom and around
the building
Practice being calm in your special calm down spot
for 5 minutes (or longer)
Take pictures of students looking calm in their calm
down spot.
Lesson 2: Positive Words
Lesson 2: Positive Words
Emotional Regulation
“Feelings Continuum”
Rationale:
Students learn where they are on the feelings/
arousal continuum so that they can begin to make
their own adjustments or allow adults to make
adjustments in the environment so as to bring
students back to a calm and comfortable states.
Lesson 2: Positive Words
Emotional Regulation
“Feelings Continuum”
Activity: Feelings Thermometer
• Students order 4-6 feeling faces on a continuum
(e.g., a thermometer)
• After ordering faces, students attach
corresponding labels to each face
Lesson 2: Positive Words
Behavioral Regulation
“Use Your Words”
Rationale:
Cognitive behavioral psychology teaches us that how
we think about a situation influences how we feel about
that situation and how we feel about a situation
predicts how we will behave in the situation. Therefore,
by changing our thoughts and/or feelings about a
situation, we can alter our behavior.
Hence, positive words directed toward ourselves (by
ourselves or by others) can positively impact our
cognitions, feelings, and actions.
Lesson 2: Positive Words
Behavioral Regulation
“Use Your Words”
Activity: Positive Memories
Note: Incorporate calm picture from Lesson 1
Younger Students:
• Smile File Collage (drawings or cut-out pictures)
Older Students:
• Picture/words/saying sheet
Picture-image-saying
Lesson 3: Relax
Lesson 3: Relax
Emotional Regulation
“Name That Feeling”
Rationale:
As children come to learn more about how different
emotional states can feel within themselves and
others, they need to develop a vocabulary that will
allow them to express their feelings with a
compatible level of complexity. Emotional labeling
activities allow children to discover how different
feeling words connotes different intensities of
emotions.
Lesson 3: Relax
Emotional Regulation
“Name That Feeling”
Activity: Feelings Charades
Option 1:
Using a set of feeling face cards, say the name of
each feeling and have the students copy the face
they see displayed on the card. Require the
students to be quiet, so that it is a non-verbal
experience.
Teach students to
wipe their faces
“calm” between
each feeling face
they make..
Lesson 3: Relax
Emotional Regulation
“Name That Feeling”
Activity: Feelings Charades
Option 2:
Using a set of emotional vocabulary words, read out
a word and have students make the face that the
word conveys to them. As the activity progresses,
have students try to guess what face other students
are making.
Lesson 3: Relax
Behavioral Regulation
“Mind-Body Connection”
Rationale:
Our mind works together with our muscles to
create both physical and mental health.
Movement that is performed in a conscious,
controlled manner– whether it be fast or slow –
helps to establish balance within our systems.
Breath creates a rhythm for fluid movement and
if we allow it, we can use breath to slow
ourselves down and relax.
Lesson 3: Relax
Behavioral Regulation
“Mind-Body Connection”
Activity Choices:
Yoga
Breathing
Stretching/ Exercising
Positive Visualization
Stress Balls & Fidget Toys
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Wall Pushing
Lesson 3: Extension Activities
Behavioral Regulation
Mind-body menus
Make a “menu” of mind-body activities that
your class has learned and schedule in 2-3
mind-body breaks per day.
Make a mind-body activity strip that student
can attach to their work area or keep on their
notebook/ clipboard.
Yoga
Breathe
15-s break
R.E.L.A.X.
Music
Muscles
Lesson 4: Express Yourself
Lesson 4: Express Yourself
Emotional Regulation
“Where Do You Feel Your Feelings?”
Rationale:
Our bodies undergo marked physical changes in
response to a wide range of emotions (from the
subtle blush of embarrassment to the bulging neck
veins of rage). Understanding these body cues can
help students “catch” and “cope” with their
negative feelings while they are still small and
manageable.
Lesson 4: Express Yourself
Emotional Regulation
“Where Do You Feel Your Feelings?”
Activity: A Picture of Me Upset
Identify areas in our body where we
might feel negative feelings:
-butterflies in the stomach
-headaches
-rapid heart beat
-weight on the chest
- shaky knees
- hands in fists
- heavy eyes
-tight mouth
Lesson 4: Express Yourself
Behavioral Regulation
“Creative ( & Safe) Self-Expression”
Rationale:
Art and music therapy have a long-standing
history of helping children give meaning to
emotions and experiences that are hard to
capture in words. When overwhelmed and
over-stimulated, many children need a release
that allows them to experience competence
and pleasure in order return to a state of selfcontrol.
Lesson 4: Express Yourself
Behavioral Regulation
“Creative ( & Safe) Self-Expression”
Activity Choices: A Picture of Me NOT Upset
Using the flip side of the “A Picture of
Me Upset” worksheet used for Lesson
4’s Emotional Regulation activity,
have students draw a picture of
themselves wearing the clothes, hair,
shoes, jewelry, and other accessories
that best express who they are and
how they want others to see them.
Lesson 4: Extension Activities
Behavioral Regulation
Self-Expression Sampling
Activity
Write in a journal
Drawing
Building with Legos
Supplies Needed
Notebook, pen/ pencil
Crayons, markers, paper
Tub of legos or duplos
Playdoh
Dancing
Music-making
Playdoh and playdoh accessories
Dance music, marked off space
Electronic piano (with
headphones!)
Lesson 4: Extension Activities
Behavioral Regulation
Self-Expression Sampling (continued)
Activity
Stringing beads
Pipe cleaner
creations
Supplies Needed
Pony beads, pre-knotted string
Pipe cleaners, examples of
creations
Scrapbooking
Classroom pictures, paper,
markers, scissors, decorations
Crayons and selection of coloring
books
Coloring books
origami
Origami paper, instructions
Lesson 4: Extension Activities
Behavioral Regulation
Self-Expression Sampling
Lesson 5: Distract Yourself
Lesson 5: Distract Yourself
Emotional Regulation
“Feelings Fun”
Rationale:
In the previous emotional regulation
activities, students have learned how
different emotions feel and have been
taught vocabulary for labeling feeling. The
previous behavioral regulation activities
have shown students that they can tolerate
emotional states without losing control. Now,
it’s time put all that together.
Lesson 5: Distract Yourself
Emotional Regulation
“Feelings Fun”
Activity: Mood Monsters
With your class, talk about the emotions that
we sometimes attach to different colors,
shapes, and line. Make a “legend” of what
feelings you attach to each. Then, have
students create their own personal mood
monster that is an expression of themselves.
Lesson 5: Distract Yourself
Emotional Regulation
“Feelings Fun”
Activity: Mood Monsters
Lesson 5: Distract Yourself
Behavioral Regulation
“Forget About It”
Rationale:
The psychoanalytic branch of psychology talks
about people consciously or unconsciously
employing “defense mechanisms” to deal with
emotions that are too much to handle. One of
these defense mechanisms is sublimation –
directing your energy into a useful alternative
for an unacceptable goal. Distracting yourself is
similar to sublimation.
Lesson 5: Distract Yourself
Behavioral Regulation
“Forget About It”
Activity Choice: Break Boxes
Break boxes are a collection of low cost, small
activities that students can do on their own to
help themselves feel better. This activity gives
students a chance to explore what’s in your
“industrial strength” classroom break box (more
about that later) and decide what they might
like in their own personal break box.
Lesson 5: Extension Activities
Behavioral Regulation
Distraction Stations
Similar to Self-Expression Sampling, this activity
offers students a chance to proactively
practice several different “distracting”
activities and decide which ones they like the
best.
As with the Self-Expression Sampling, be sure to
give students a method for recording how well
each activity worked at getting their minds off
of what is bothering them.
Lesson 5: Extension Activities
Behavioral Regulation
Distraction Stations
Activity
Puzzles
Supplies Needed
Mix of puzzle types and difficultylevels
Bubbles
Bubble “juice” and variety of
wands
Balloons
Each student gets their own!
Activity Sheets
Collection of search-a-words,
cross-words, mazes, collor-bynumbers,etc.
Reading
Cartoon books, joke books, etc.
Lesson 5: Extension Activities
Behavioral Regulation
Distraction Stations (continued)
Activity
Straw Fiddling
(bend, chew,
blow)
Supplies Needed
Straws – 3-5 for each student
ABC’s & 123’s
Listening Station
Letter charts and number charts
Headphones and CD player with
music, audio books, etc.
Visual relaxers
Liquid motion toys, glitter wands,
color strips, kaliedoscopes
Feel strips
Wallpaper book, fabric swatches
Moving Forward: Summative Activities
Do Something Plans
Self-Regulation Tools
Sensory Equipment
“I’m Stuck” Kits
HELP!
I’m STUCK!
Break Boxes
Is it Sensory or Is it Behavior?
Behavior is a learned coping strategy.
Behavior is quickly learned when it is
followed by success at meeting need
and/or is rewarded
Repeated use of learned behaviors
creates established behaviors (i.e.,
habits)
To keep a behavior
from being
Once a behavior is established, it
learned, either
may look willful but often times the
don’t let it occur or
child has little conscious control over
don’t let it be
that behavior.
repeated.
Sensory Equipment
Rationale:
Sensory and social-emotional needs that might typically
interfere with academic performance and social
competence are met through the implementation of
relatively inexpensive and easy-to-implement techniques
and tools.
IMPORTANT: Self-regulation tools should be available on an
as-needed basis or at a scheduled break time. These tools
should not be withheld as a consequence or used as a reward.
Sensory Equipment:
BALANCE DISKS
Seat cushions for students with
a high need for movement (the
wigglers) or those who are need
a lot of tactile input (kids who
are crashing and banging into
objects, adults, and each other).
One side of the disk is like a
porcupine and the other side is
slightly bumpy.
Sensory Equipment:
WEIGHTED LAP CUSHION
•
This small pillow fits in a student’s lap and
is filled with 5 pounds of aquarium rocks
(and a little bit of padding). Weighted
cushions are effective with students who
have a high need for movement or those
who need a lot of tactile input. The weight
on the lower body can be very calming for
some students and can help them stay in
their seat to complete work. It can also
keep them from moving about during
carpet/ circle time. The weighted
cushions can be used with students who
need to do some "heavy work" activities moving something heavy up and down a
hall to burn off extra energy or get some
pressure into the shoulder, elbow, and
wrist joints.
Sensory Equipment:
HEADPHONES
Sound-blocking headphones
are helpful for students who
are easily distracted or
bothered by external noises
(the hallway, the room next
door) or classroom chatter
(e.g., teacher talking to other
students, students working
together on partner work).
Sensory Equipment:
VISUAL RELAXERS
Visual relaxers are tools that student
can look at during those times when
they are starting to get agitated to help
them calm down. Students who are
tired often calm well with the visuals
because it makes them sleepy and
sometimes, resting is what they need
to do. The visual sand/water "toys"
can also be used as a visual timer for
students to complete work within a
certain amount of time or to record the
length of their "sensory break."
Sensory Equipment:
STRESS BALLS
Two kinds of stress balls
were purchased. The small
prickly balls are good for
students who are seeking
tactile input for their hands;
the larger balls are good for
kids who need to keep their
hands busy so that they can
stay focused.
“I’m Stuck” Kits
Rationale:
A common self-regulation strategy
taught to children is that they are
“stuck” and they need to engage in an
activity that will get them “unstuck.”
“I’m stuck” kits are used both proactively
and reactively to help children
reorganize their disregulated emotions
and behaviors and return to a state of
equilibrium.
“I’m stuck” script
A social script is a narrative that teaches a
child appropriate behaviors to exhibit in varied
social situations.
Spencer, I’m noticing that you’re a kid who gets stuck sometimes. You
just can’t do what I need you to do or other teachers need you to do and
that’s a problem. Let’s call this the “I’M STUCK PROBLEM”.
When you’re having the “I’M STUCK PROBLEM”, I notice that you
don’t want to do your work, you might start yelling, or doing stuff that
looks like it’s being mean to me or your classmates. When I see this
happening, I’m going to say, “Spencer, you’re stuck. Choose something to
get yourself unstuck.”
“I’m stuck” script
Then, this is want I need you to do [Teacher has “I’m stuck” kit available]:
This is called an “I’M STUCK” KIT . We’re going to keep this [in your
cubby, teacher’s bookshelf, calm-down corner, etc.) I want you to choose to
do one of these things for as long as you need to do it until you are unstuck.
These are all pretty fun things to do, so I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t
want to do one of these things when I tell you that you need to do one of
them OR if you decide that you’re getting stuck. Plus, you get to do one of
these activities for as long as you need to until you feel unstuck. When you
feel unstuck, you go back and do the work that you need to do at your spot.
“I’m Stuck” Activities Box
Things to Include
Coping Activities
• Emotional control visual, 15-second break cards,
Engine strategy card
Fun Learning Activities
• Word searches, mazes, math sheets, drawing sheets,
crossword puzzles
High Interest Books
• Joke books, cartoon stories, how-to-draw books,
puzzle books
Break Boxes
Rationale:
Break boxes were a precursor to the “Do
Something” curriculum that came out of a
Madison Schools Foundation Grant awarded to
Lake View Elementary.
A break box consists of items that correspond
to one or more of the sensory regulation areas
used in the “How Does Your Engine Run?”
program.
Classroom Break Box
Things to Include
Classroom Break Box
Ground Rules
Classroom Calm Down Kit
Break Box: Industrial Strength
Additional Items to Include
Where do you get this stuff?
Classroom Break Kit
(most materials available at Dollar Stores)
Materials Needed for Each Kit
Cost
plastic container for kit box
sandwich-size sealable baggie
1 spiky stress ball
1 squishy stress ball
1 mini-kaleidoscope
1 big slinky
1 mini-slinky
4 markers and/or 8-pack crayons
10 straws (cut in ½ to make 20)
5 pipe cleaners
$1.00 each
20 for $1.00
$1.00 each
$1.00 each
6-8 for $1.00
$1.00
6-8 for $1.00
12-24 for $1.00
100 for $1.00
50 for $1.00
Where do you get this stuff?
Classroom Break Kit
(most materials available at Dollar Stores)
Materials Needed for Each Kit
Cost
Paint sample strips, laminated dye-cut
letters, shapes, numbers, etc
15-second break cards (on cardstock)
engine break cards (laminate)
2 containers of playdoh/ magic dough
30 pony beads
3 craft strings (about 18 inches long
each)
20 plastic-coated paperclips
TOTAL COST FOR ONE KIT:
FREE!
FREE!
FREE!
6 for $1.00
100s for $5.00
20-pack for
$1.00
100s for $1.00
approx. $6.00
Where do you get this stuff?
SENSORY EQUIPMENT
BALANCE DISKS
Available at Amazon.com
Isokinetics Exercise Disc / Balance Cushion - 14"
Diameter - 5 Colors
COST: $13.00
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WQ4Z7Q/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p
200_t1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center2&pf_rd_r=1T98Z4D982GWB1B79VA3&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=47093863
1&pf_rd_i=507846
Where do you get this stuff?
SENSORY EQUIPMENT
HEADPHONES
Available at Harbor Freight.com
Harbor Freight (retail store):
4617 Verona Rd., Madison
Industrial Ear Muffs : Western Safety , 43768-0VGA
COST: $3.99/ pair
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43768
Where do you get this stuff?
SENSORY EQUIPMENT
VISUAL RELAXERS
Officeplayground.com
(see Liquid Motion sidebar for full selection):
COST: $3.99-5.99
1 Wheel Timer - Kaleidoscope
$3.99; Product Code: 2267
http://www.officeplayground.com/
1wheelkaleido.html
Spiral Glitter Wand
$3.99;Product Code: 1307
http://www.officeplayground.com
/glitterwand.html
Where do you get this stuff?
SENSORY EQUIPMENT
STRESS BALLS
Dollar Store – many styles & varieties for $1 each
Officeplayground.com (see Balls Multipack Balls)
COST: small: 12 for $2.99 large: 12 for $7.99
Porcupine Stress Ball - Mini
$2.99 for 12; Product Code: 1230
http://www.officeplayground.com/po
rcupine.html
Mini Squeeze Balls
$7.99 for 12; Product Code: 1618
http://www.officeplayground.com/
ministressball.html
WEIGHTED LAP CUSHION
(See also www.EfficiencyGene.com for
instructions to make lap pads, body
wraps, neck wraps, weighted stuffed
animals, weighted vests, and weighted
belts.)
Materials Needed:
• 5 lb. bag aquarium gravel
– Petsmart.com COST: $4.00/ bag
– or check an area pet supply store
• 19” x 26” piece of heavy-duty fabric (denim)
• 1 piece 18x25 foam padding or soft quilting
– estimate $5.00/cushion for sewing supplies
WEIGHTED LAP CUSHION
Assembly:
1.Fold fabric right sides together and stitch long sides
to make a fabric case
2. Turn case right side out and insert bag of aquarium
rocks
3. Insert padding along length inside of bag (so that one
side is bumpy from rocks and one side of soft from
quilting).
4. Fold over and stitch fourth end until there is a
finished hem edge
- Estimate ~30minutes/ cushion for assembly and
machine sewing.
SENSORY EQUIPMENT
Rough Cost of Outfitting a Classroom
2 balance disks
5 pairs headphones
2 visual relaxers
6 large stress balls
6 small stress balls
1 weighted lap cushion
Classroom Break Kit
~ TOTAL COST
~$26.00
~$20.00
~$10.00
~$4.00
~$1.50
~$9.00
~$6.00
$75/classroom
(plus upkeep)
How do you know if the
intervention is working?
Progress Monitoring
Student Feedback Strips
I was not feeling good,
so I decided to do something
to make myself feel better.
How do you know if the
intervention is working?
Progress Monitoring
How do you know if the
intervention is working?
Rate using GAS’s -2 to +2 rubric.
Complete ratings every 4-6 weeks.
Contact Information
This presentation was prepared by Meg Niesen,
School Psychologist, Madison Metropolitan
School District (MMSD) and placed with her
permission on their website.
For more information, please contact Meg
Niesen at mniesen@madison.k12.wi.us
(under Margaret Niesen in GW)
Phone: 608-663-5989