Blogs In this video blog you will learn self-regulation strategies to use with students who need to take a break and calm themselves. With your student, you can build a box of calm with items that hit on all five senses. Students can then use their calm box during breaks.
Video Transcript
Hi, my name’s Keely from Learners Edge. And I would like to share a tip with you that can be used with students who show some struggles with emotional regulation.
This is called the box of calm. And it is used when a student needs a break from the classroom. What we do is we build a box of calm around the student’s preferences. We always want to look at the five senses when we build the box of calm.
- For the sense of touch, I have some Play-Doh for the student.
- For the sense of taste, I have some wild cherry Lifesavers.
- For the sense of smell, I have some cotton balls that just have some essential oil on them.
- For sight, we have a picture of a parent. And sometimes that will help a student calm, if they’re having a really tough day.
- And then for the sense of sound, I have a toy that makes a noise back and forth. It also has a tactile function to it as well.
The students usually use the box of calm for about five minutes. We use the visual timer to help them know when they’re done with their calm box and need to return to the classroom. It is sometimes helpful to have students rate their anxiety level before the box of calm and then after the use of the box of calm, as well.
While there are a multitude of self-regulation strategies you can try to help your student calm down: deep breathing, wall push-ups, rocking in a rocking chair, swinging on a park swing, retreating to a dark, quiet space, the calm box is just one more tool in your toobox that can help serve as an “anchor” in order to bring the students focus back into one place when it may feel like her world is spinning out of control.
Learners Edge is passionately committed to providing you with continuing education coursework, materials, and tools that will help you succeed in your classroom and in your career.
Offering more than 100 print-based or online courses for teachers, you can earn the graduate credit you need for salary advancement and meet your professional development needs. Contact us today to get started!
