Science Curriculum Standards Proficient Level Secondary Workshop1: 22/3/2011 1.
Mindfulness and the Zones of Regulation in the Classroom ......Level 4: Proficient Level 5: Exceeds...
Transcript of Mindfulness and the Zones of Regulation in the Classroom ......Level 4: Proficient Level 5: Exceeds...
Mindfulness and the Zones of Regulation in the
Classroom
By: Colleen Parry, Nicole Triffo, & Melanie Ward
Collaboration
Summary
This fall the grade K-4 teachers at our school decided to introduce mindfulness and the zones of
regulation into our classrooms. We went to a workshop on the topic and were able to learn a lot.
We thought that there were some specific students who would benefit from having tools to help
them to cope with their day to day stresses, but also, that the student population as a whole could
benefit from this.
The Plan: To empower students by giving them coping techniques that they can use on a day to
day and moment to moment basis.
Action: We decided to purchase the Zones of Regulation in the Classroom book. This book
equipped us with lessons, printable resources and many activities and tools we could use to teach
the students in our school. This was a start, we also attended the Zones of Regulation workshop
that was held in Saskatoon this fall. This was of great help because we could better see how to
implement the resources found in the book. We learned that, for example, a lesson from the book
does and should take an extended period of time to work through. In fact, we started to look at
the lessons as more of a unit than as an individual lesson.
For Mindfulness in our classrooms we have incorporated scheduled mindfulness breaks. We
used GoNoodle a lot. The Flow portion of GoNoodle has a lot of good activities. Also, we have
Yoga4Classrooms cards that we have used. The biggest thing we have done is make purposeful
time for practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness is challenging and practice is the only way to make
it part of daily life. Once students have some of the tools in place, such as the breathing or
meditation activities, they are able to stop and do them quickly and with minimal disruption.
These can be done either as a whole class, or, individual students can do them whenever they
need to.
Curriculum Outcomes
Grade 1:
USC1.1: Examine healthy behaviors and opportunities and begin to determine how these
behaviors and opportunities may affect personal well-being.
USC1.3: Analyze, with support, feelings and behaviours that are important for nurturing healthy
relationships at school.
USC1.5: Explore the association between a healthy sense of “self” and one’s positive connection
with others in the environment
Grade 2:
USC2.1: Demonstrate a basic understanding of how thoughts, feelings, and actions influence
health and well-being.
USC2.4: Examine social and personal meanings of “respect” and establish ways to show respect
for self, persons, living things, possessions, and the environment.
Grade 3:
USC3.2: Examine the spiritual dimension of the “inner self” and determine the importance of
nurturing it.
Grade 4:
USC4.3: Examine healthy interpersonal skills and determine strategies to effectively develop new
relationships and/or negotiate disagreements in relationships.
USC4.5: Examine how identity (i.e. Self-concept, self-esteem, self-determination) is influenced by
relationships that are formed with others.
USC4.6: Assess healthy stress management strategies (i.e. relaxation skills, stress control skills,
guided imagery, expressing feelings, exercising).
Assessment Tools:
As you can well imagine, this is a very difficult kind of learning to assess. We have done a lot of
anecdotal record keeping, a lot of trial and error to find out what will work and what won’t work
in our individual classrooms. Below we have included a rubric to help you assess mindfulness
and zones of regulation with your students.
The Zones
The zones are a language that students will learn to use to identify their emotions and feelings at
any given moment. They will learn to identify their feelings, thoughts, and emotions and be able
to express what zone they are in.
It is very important to note that the zones are extremely fluid and that the green zone may look
very different depending on what situation a student is in.
The Blue Zone: This is a zone where children may be feeling tired, sad, unwell, etc. this is a slow
moving or sluggish state.
The Green Zone: This is the optimal zone for children to be in to maximize their learning. This is
the zone where children should be striving to be.
An example of how different the green zone can look in different situations: running, jumping,
screaming etc. is not considered green zone behavior in a library class, however, it is completely
acceptable “green zone” behavior for an event such as a gym blast.
The Yellow Zone: This is the zone used to describe a more heightened state of awareness.
Students in this zone are on the verge of losing control.
The Red Zone: This zone is reached when a student has lost control of his/her emotions. When
students are in this zone mindfulness activities and other tools are more difficult to implement,
but, it is very important that the tools have been taught to children to the point that they’re
automatic so that they’re accessible to children in this time of high emotional stress.
It is important to note that the red zone doesn’t associate only with anger. It is any time that the
student is not in control of their body. This may also mean excitement.
We have an Elementary common area
in our school where we post, and have
activities for students to do as part of
encouraging self-regulation. Here are
some examples of what students can
do to get themselves in the
GREEN ZONE.
Also in our Elementary common area
we have reminders for the students.
As students begin to incorporate self-
regulation strategies it begins to
influence their entire mindset.
Resources:
The Zones of Regulation: A Curriculum Designed to Foster Self-Regulation and Emotional
Control.
Written and Created by: Leah M. Kuypers, MA Ed. OTR/L
http://zonesofregulation.com/free-share.html
http://zonesofregulation.com/index.html
http://www.schoolcounselingfiles.com/zones-of-regulationemotional-regulation-activities.html
The above are some good resources but there are endless resources that you can find. On
YouTube we found many video clips where we showed them to the students and the students
had the four different colored sticks and as they watched the videos they held up the stick to
show the zone that the character was in. In YouTube you can search zones of regulation videos
for kids. You can also find a lot of stuff on Pinterest. Zones of Regulation also has a good
Facebook page.
http://www.yoga4classrooms.com/
Mindfulness Assessment
Skill Being Assessed
Level 1: Beginner
Level 2: Emerging
Level 3: Basic
understanding
Level 4: Proficient
Level 5: Exceeds proficiency
What is mindfulness? Student will be able to describe what mindfulness is and how it can help them in specific settings
Student has no knowledge of mindfulness.
Student has minimal knowledge of mindfulness and is able to identify at least one facts/components/ about mindfulness.
Student has a very basic knowledge of mindfulness and is able to identify at least two facts/components about mindfulness.
Students shows a moderate knowledge of mindfulness and is able to identify at least three facts/components/strategies about mindfulness.
Students show strong knowledge of mindfulness and is able to identify at least four facts/components about mindfulness.
Breathing Student will learn to utilize breathing exercises as a strategy to self-calm and be present.
Shallow breathing. Not able to inhale or exhale for longer than 4-5 seconds during each breathing exercise.
With prompting, student is able to do some deep breathing practices. Inhales from 5-7 seconds. With verbal coaching during breathing exercises.
With minimal prompting, student is able to do some deep breathing practices. Inhales from 5-10 seconds. With verbal coaching during breathing exercises.
Student is able to independently do some deep breathing practices. Inhales and exhales from 5-10 seconds during breathing exercises.
Student is skilled at deep breathing. Allows breath to run the mind. Is able to inhale and exhale from 10 etc. seconds during breathing exercises.
Mindfulness Assessment cont’d
Concentration/Participation Students understands the premise of mindfulness and is willing to engage in exercises.
Has difficulty concentrating when learning or practicing strategies or refuses to participate or attempt.
Usually will attempt to concentrate when learning or practicing new strategies or skills. Participates actively with frequent reminders to follow instructions or remain on task.
Concentrates most of the time when they’re learning or practicing new strategies or skills. Participates with infrequent reminders to follow instructions and stay on task.
Perseveres and concentrates when learning or practicing new skills. Participates actively with no reminders to follow instructions or remain on task.
Perseveres and concentrates when learning or practicing new skills. Always participates actively and willingly. Independently applies and transfers learning. Models for peers.
The Zones of Regulation Assessment Rubric
Target Skill Level 1 Beginner
Level 2 Emerging
Level 3 Basic
Understanding
Level 4 Proficient
Level 5 Exceeds
Proficiency Labeling emotions; happy, sad, mad/angry, scared
Unable to label emotions.
Has minimal ability to label emotions.
Has a basic understanding of labeling emotions.
Has a moderate ability to label emotions.
Has a strong knowledge of how to label emotions.
Identifies own emotions
Unable to identify own emotions.
Has minimal ability to identify own emotions.
Has a basic understanding of identifying emotions.
Has a moderate ability to identify own emotions.
Has a strong ability to identify own emotions.
Matches emotions to the zones of regulation
Unable to match emotions to zones of regulation.
Has minimal ability to match emotions to the zones of regulation.
Has a basic understanding of how to match emotions to the zones of regulation.
Has a moderate ability to match emotions to the zones of regulation.
Has a strong ability to match emotions to the zones of regulation.
Identifies which zone he is in
Unable to identify which zone he is in.
Has minimal ability to identify which zone he is in.
Has a basic understanding of how to identify which zone he is in.
Has a moderate ability to identify which zone he is in.
Has a strong ability to identify which zone he is in.
Able to identify and use tools to move to the ‘green zone’
Unable to identify and use tools to move to the ‘green zone.’
Has minimal ability to identify and use tools to move to the ‘green zone’.
Has a basic ability to identify and use tools to move to the ‘green zone’.
Has a moderate ability to identify and use tools to move to the ‘green zone’.
Has a strong ability to identify and use tools to move to the ‘green zone’.