Why Calming Strategies are important
Calming strategies are important to the mental health of our students. Learning calming strategies, and using them can have a number of positive benefits including higher focus, improved student response in a heightened situation and slower heart rate. Below are a number of positive coping strategies that promote calmness and can improve mental health.
Practicing calming strategies can have many benefits including:
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Practicing calming strategies can have many benefits including:
- Slowing heart rate
- Lowering blood pressure
- Slowing your breathing rate
- Improving digestion
- Maintaining normal blood sugar levels
- Reducing activity of stress hormones
- Increasing blood flow to major muscles
- Reducing muscle tension and chronic pain
- Improving concentration and mood
- Improving sleep quality
- Lowering fatigue
- Reducing anger and frustration
- Boosting confidence to handle problems
- Improved response in heightened situations
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Build A Calm Corner Kit
At Briarwood Elementary, we support social/ emotional skills through a variety of lessons and support that are developmentally appropriate. We focus on skills that promote kindness, empathy and friendship. Research has shown that a focus on positive behavior and social/emotional support can positively impact the success of our students. We know that at times students can become overwhelmed with their emotions and become angry. This is called “flipping their lid” and there is an effect on their brain that temporarily makes it difficult for children to think rationally. This impacts the choices that they make in a moment of frustration, anxiety or aggression.
One of the strategies of helping a child in an escalated state is a calming break. Students will have access to the “Calm Corner Toolkit” at school to de-escalate themselves when in a heightened state. This will allow them to calm down and rationally think about their behavior in a problem-solving space.
A calming break is a structured break time that is taught before use. This is designed as a tool, not a toy that can be used at home as well as school. It is important that this tool is taught before a child has reached a heightened state. Clear, taught expectations around this tool will yield the most benefits. This tool can be used at home, as well as our implementation at school.
How to use the Calm Corner Toolkit:
- Build a space for relaxation
- Acquire some or all of the items on the Calm Corner checklist
- Show your child each item and explore which one brings them the most relaxation
- Teach them how to deep breathe in and out
- Build expectations around the use of the kit
- Use a timer (5 minute timer), and have your child use one or more of the tools for relaxation
- Debrief around the concern after the child is calm
The Calm Corner Toolkit has scientifically backed items that allow a child’s “lid” to fall back into place and rationalize the emotions of the moment. If you have more questions about creating a Calm Corner Toolkit at home please reach out to us at [email protected].
Examples of Calm Corners
The Science behind "Flipping Your Lid"
Use a Breathing StrategY
Deep breathing is a tried-and-true way to slow yourself down and regain your composure. Taking controlled inhales, and then slow, steady exhales, is physically relaxing and helps to release feelings of anger and fear.
In fact, doctors and nurses often tell patients who are anxious before surgery to take slow, deep breaths with long exhalations. Deep breathing is also used to treat sleep problems. Deep breathing is beneficial to everyone and the more it is practiced as a daily routine, the easier it is for students to access this positive coping strategy in a time of escalation. Please check out the breathing strategies below.
In fact, doctors and nurses often tell patients who are anxious before surgery to take slow, deep breaths with long exhalations. Deep breathing is also used to treat sleep problems. Deep breathing is beneficial to everyone and the more it is practiced as a daily routine, the easier it is for students to access this positive coping strategy in a time of escalation. Please check out the breathing strategies below.
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