This year in Character Education, students have learned about Zones of Regulation, a valuable framework designed to help children develop emotional awareness and self-regulation skills. Self-regulation is defined as "the capacity to manage one’s thoughts, feelings, and actions in adaptive and flexible ways across a range of contexts." A person who can self-regulate can remain calm and organized in a stressful situation, cheer themselves up after a disappointment, know when they are experiencing sensory overload and make adjustments, and understand when it is appropriate to cheer and shout, and when you should be quiet. All of these are skills that we are teaching our students through the use of Zones of Regulation.
The Zones categorize emotions into four color-coded zones – blue, green, yellow, and red – each representing a different level of emotion. By familiarizing your child with these zones, they can better understand and manage their feelings.
At home, you can support this learning by creating a safe and open environment for your child to express their emotions. Encourage them to identify the zone they are in and discuss strategies to move to the green zone, where optimal learning and social interactions occur. Empathize with your child and validate what they are feeling. You can also help them calm down using a strategy. Incorporating activities like deep breathing exercises, mindfulness practices, and providing a quiet space for self-reflection can be helpful tools in promoting emotional regulation.
By working together, we can empower our children with the skills they need for emotional well-being. Please reach out if you have specific questions or would like support/strategies at home for your child(ren).
