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Emotional regulation is a crucial skill that every student needs to develop. It empowers them to recognize, manage, and express their emotions in a healthy way. As teachers, we play an enormous role in teaching emotional regulation to our students, equipping them with lifelong skills for emotional well being. I have 5 powerful tools and strategies to effectively teach emotional regulation in the classroom.
1. Coping Skill Instruction
Regulating your emotions comes naturally to just about no one. It’s so helpful and important to teach emotional regulation strategies, often called coping skills, to students. One way I like to do this is through these weekly slides. It takes less than 5 minutes and can be done during morning meeting, a transition time, to chill out after lunch/recess, or during a therapy session. These slides teach one skill per week so that kids can learn a wide variety of coping skill choices, and determine what works best when for their body. We all use different coping skills depending on our emotional state, for instance I might take deep breaths when I am frustrated, but need to do some exercises when anxious. Teaching a wide variety at a tier 1 level helps kids practice different options and broaden their toolboxes!
2. Mindfulness and Breathing Exercises
Mindfulness practices and breathing exercises are invaluable tools for emotional regulation. Incorporate short mindfulness activities into your daily routine, encouraging students to pause and focus on their breath or their senses. Teach them to recognize the physical sensations associated with different emotions and guide them in using deep breathing techniques to calm their nervous systems. Simple practices like the use of breathing mats can be easily integrated into your classroom to help students manage stress and strong emotions.
3. Emotional Check-Ins
Implement regular emotional check-ins to create a safe and open space for students to share their feelings. You can use a simple mood meter or emotion wheel where students can point to how they’re feeling that day. Follow up with open-ended questions like, “What caused you to feel this way?” and “How can we work through these emotions together?” By acknowledging and validating their emotions, you demonstrate empathy and create an environment where emotional regulation is actively practiced.
4. Emotion Vocabulary
When your emotional vocabulary is small and underdeveloped, it’s basically impossible to articulate how you’re feeling and what you might need. By broadening students SEL vocabulary, it can really enhance their feedback to others, their self reflections about themselves, and the feedback we can offer to them. I like doing this by using an SEL word wall! Having words that can help students articulate their emotions and share more can really help develop their emotional regulation skills and allow for deeper understanding.
5. Explicit SEL Activities
Incorporate SEL activities into your curriculum to teach emotional regulation in context. Role-playing, group discussions, and cooperative games can help students practice identifying emotions and responding appropriately. For instance, engage students in scenarios where they must resolve conflicts or make decisions under various emotional states. These activities foster emotional awareness, empathy, and effective communication skills, all of which are essential components of emotional regulation.
And a bonus… a few picture books I love for teaching emotional regulation!
Roaring Mad Riley by Allie Szczecinski (yep, that’s me!)
My Body Sends a Signal by Natalia Maguire
Breathe Like a Bear by Kira Willey
B is for Breathe by Melissa Munro-Boyd
Emotional Regulation is a Journey
Teaching emotional regulation is an ongoing process that requires patience, consistency, and a nurturing classroom environment. By integrating these tools and strategies into your teaching practice, you empower your students to develop the skills they need to navigate the complex world of emotions. Remember that emotional regulation is a lifelong skill, and the foundation you lay in the classroom will benefit your students well beyond their school years.
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