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We use The Zones of Regulation curriculum which are lessons and activities designed by Leah Kuypers (occupational therapist) to help students gain skills in the area of self-regulation.
Self-regulation can go by many names, such as self-control, self-management, and impulse control. It is defined as the best state of alertness of both the body and emotions for a specific situation.
The Zones of Regulation are initially taught explicitly at the beginning of the year. Once introduced they are integrated into our values lessons and form part of our start of day routine. Each day during circle time, we ask each student how they are feeling. Students learn to trust each other and share their feelings. For a student to be ready to learn, they need to be in the Green Zone. If they are in any other zone, strategies are used to support the student to move zones and be able to work.
Regulation is something everyone continually works on whether we are aware of it or not. We all encounter trying circumstances that can test our limits. If we can recognize when we are becoming less regulated, we are able to do something about it to manage our feelings and get ourselves to a healthy place. This comes more naturally for some, but for others it is a skill that needs more attention and practice. This is the goal of The Zones of Regulation.
Feelings are complicated. They come in different sizes, intensities, and levels of energy that are unique within our brains and bodies. To make them easier to talk about, think about, and regulate, The Zones of Regulation organizes our feelings, states of alertness, and energy levels into four colored Zones – Blue, Green, Yellow, and Red. The simple, common language and visual structure of The Zones of Regulation helps make the complex skill of regulation more concrete for learners and those who support them. We learn to regulate our Zones to meet our goals and task demands, as well as support our overall well-being.
A core belief of The Zones of Regulation is that all the Zones are okay. We routinely experience several of the Zones across a day. It’s critically important that we don’t convey the message that the Green Zone is the only acceptable Zone to be in. Acknowledge, accept, and support these feelings, never make anyone feel like the Green Zone is the norm.
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