Week One Completed and We are Already Ready for a Break

Week One Completed and We are Already Ready for a Break

  August 18, 2021 - By Heather Pfrunder, M.A.Ed.  SDC Teacher and Ed Specialist

We knew it would be interesting to transition back to in person learning.  We knew students would need to remember what it means to wake up early, wear a full uniform, and attend for a full six hours.  As teachers, we also knew it was going to take some serious preparation and an open mind to change, as well as patience as we put school norms back into place.  However, I’m not talking about the taboo subject of teacher burn-out or the restlessness before Spring Break. No, I am talking about proactive solutions to ensure a healthy classroom environment.

I spent Spring through Summer reading and researching trauma-informed restorative justice practices.  With over 20 years experience working with individuals with special needs, I wondered if there was something that I was missing.  What I discovered was practical refreshers and some new perspectives.  Since it is the beginning of the year, let me gift you with the short version and some practical applications.

Oh… That’s Why...

Mona Delahooke, PhD in her book, “Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavioral Challenges” (2019) states “Current neuroscience...reveals a more complex reality: many problematic behaviors reflect how the child’s brain and body perceive stress” (p. 3).. In a study done in 2013 by the CDC and Kaiser Permanente (ACES Too High) they cited over 35 million children in the USA have experienced one or more types of childhood trauma (Brummer. p. 53). Just think, without COVID many of our students were/are already having to contend with stress. Delahooke continues “When [we come] to view problematic behaviors as adaptive responses and not purposeful misbehavior I shifted nearly all my beliefs about how to help children” (p. 3).  So square one in shifting one’s mindset is not a focus of “good” or “bad” - but what simply is, and how to address it. 

Think of self-control (self-regulation) as a house.  From the floor-up we have emotional connection, social skills, and cognitive reasoning. Which means learning absolutely doesn’t happen when students are in distress.  When a student is dysregulated (i.e. often seen as mal-adaptive behavior choices) chances are they aren’t ready for a conversation that requires reasoning (that is “top-down” thinking).  They need “time-in” or what I like to call a “Rest Break.”  This is NOT punishment!  In less extreme cases it is asking, “What do you need?  How can I help?”  However, before we ask these questions we need to have a classroom game-plan.

It’s Game Time

Pre-Game Prep:

• Set the environment as a calm space:

• Neutral soothing colors

• Clutter diminished, labeled items, no more than ⅔ of wall space covered (for my students prone to visual distractions I do way less).

• Natural or lowered lights

• Be observant of triggers like music/noise or scents

• Consider setting up flex seating

• Set up a Rest Area & Calm Down Kit

• For non-verbal students have resources for communication ready and available throughout the classroom. 

This Rest area has sensory equipment like a weighted blanket and a calm-down kit.  It is available at any time for all of my students. The objective is to rest and calm (versus playtime).

This is one of my 4 centers: While they are identified by color, most of the tones are neutral, classroom expectations are listed, icons for requesting a break or sharing if they are “Ready to Learn” are within arm’s length.

1. Putting it in action starts with self! Co-regulation: we demonstrate regulated behavior to be a model and to demonstrate that an environment is safe. “We can’t put an oxygen mask on others unless we put one on ourselves first…[then we] can calm the toughest of students and see past the behaviors to see a kid “in-struggle” not a kid “in-trouble” (Brummer. pp. 58-60).

• Come in a few minutes early, shut off the lights, and slow breathe for 3 full minutes to a timer.  Do it at every recess and lunch.

• Partner with a trusted colleague

• Reward yourself with special activities at the end of the week.

• Give YOURSELF a break!

2. Set the Expectations of a Safe Space for your Students

• Use our OMSD SEL kit every morning; It's amazing! (It's the blue and orange target sign in your teacher symbaloo or click the link) SEL Toolkit
• Do brain breaks like “Go-Noodle” videos-- it’s free and can be added to our Clever page. https://www.gonoodle.com/
• Take time to get to know your students - likes, dislikes...share and have conversation.  Look for ways to incorporate their favorite things or topics.
• Build classroom expectations together as a team.  (I love Pocket of Preschool’s Red and Green choice visuals). We take turns as a group and decide what’s a good choice or not. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Behavior-Management-Green-and-Red-Choices-Preschool-Pre-K-and-Kindergarten-1931820
• Big Breaks!  Remember when I cited emotional connection and social skills coming before cognitive reasoning?  There is a place for big breaks, focusing on collaborative play and positive interactions - especially for our exceptional learners.  For students that are neuro-typical, diving into Kagan strategies and Socratic Seminars are great ways to imbed wiggle room for social connection while still working on academic standards.
• Allow students to self-advocate and ask for an “extra minute.”  It isn’t a problem to not be ready.  When they are ready, they are going to truly learn.
• Click the link for my custom created visuals (open with Kami).
•  Expectations and Self-Advocating Visuals for Exceptional Learners

Let’s be Real

I would like to tell you that day one or even week one went off without a hitch.  While a lot went really well, the truth is, I played musical chairs with seating the first three days.  I quickly realized that learning was not going to happen in a whole group setting, just yet. Big breaks went a little long. But, I took time to hear their stories, address needs, and set boundaries. By switching to small groups we found a rhythm. By Thursday we were finally able to directly address classroom rules with active student participation.  By Friday we were on target.  The old me (the new teacher me) would have truly panicked about not hitting standards fully the first week.  But guess what?  My most important job for week one was accomplished.  I connected with my students.  They understood and partnered with me on expectations.  Much of the anxiety and extra-sensory behaviors that occurred due to coping to what was new had subsided. And hey, my team even managed to get down a lot of data for IEP goals.  So now it’s onward!  Let the learning commence!  Bring it Common Core!  Hello restorative practices!  I can’t wait to see the growth in the hearts and minds of my students! I hope you join me in following our new adventures!

Learning resources referenced:

Brummer, Joe & Thoresborne, Margaret.  Building a Trauma-Informed Restorative School: Skills and Approaches for Improving Culture and Behavior. Jessica Kingsley Publishers: London, Great Britain. 2021.

Delahooke, PhD., Mona. Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavioral Challenges.  PESI Publishing & Media: Eau Claire, WI. 2019.

WRITTEN BY: HEATHER PFRUNDER