Know Your Zones
“What zone might you be in if you feel calm, focused, and ready to learn?”
Green Zone
“Your teacher gives you an assignment you don't want to do. You immediately say, ‘I'm not doing this!’ What could happen next if you keep refusing?”
“Right. Refusing can sometimes make the task take even longer. What could we try instead?”
“Name ONE strategy you could use when you're starting to feel frustrated.”
“You get one problem wrong and think:
‘I'm terrible at math.’
What's a more helpful thought?”
“I made a mistake, but I can try again.”
“Your teacher tells you to start working and you're frustrated. Do you:
A. Throw your pencil
B. Refuse
C. Ask for help
D. Leave the room”
C
“You're starting to feel annoyed. You're tapping your pencil, sighing, and having trouble paying attention. What zone might you be moving toward?”
Yellow Zone
“You make a mistake on your work. You think, ‘I'm so stupid.’ What could happen if you keep thinking that?”
You may become more frustrated, give up, or avoid the task.
“True or false: Taking deep breaths can help your body slow down when you're angry.”
True.
“You have a hard assignment and think:
‘I can't do this.’
Change the thought.”
“This is hard, but I can try one part at a time.”
“Someone says something that makes you angry. Do you:
A. Say something mean back
B. Hit them
C. Take space and calm down
D. Start yelling”
C
“You're extremely angry, yelling, refusing to work, and feel like you might lose control. What zone might you be in?”
Red Zone
“You're frustrated with an assignment. You ask for help instead of leaving the room. What is likely to happen next?”
An adult can help you and you can continue the task.
“Your body feels really tense. Give me one thing you could do to help your body calm down.”
Have them actually demonstrate one!
“Someone gets picked before you for a game. You think:
‘Everyone hates me.’
What's another possible explanation?”
“They just picked someone else first.”
“Maybe they didn't notice me.”
“You're in Yellow Zone. What is the BEST time to use a regulation strategy?”
Now—before things get bigger.
“Is being in the Red Zone a bad thing?”
No
“Right! Feelings aren't bad. The Red Zone is information. It tells us our brain and body need support.”
“You're angry at someone. You start arguing with them. They argue back. What is happening to the problem?”
It's getting bigger/escalating.
“You're frustrated but you don't want everyone watching you use a calming strategy. Name a strategy you could use quietly at your desk.”
“You make a mistake in front of the class and think:
‘Everyone is laughing at me.’
What's a more helpful thought?”
“Making mistakes is normal.”
“People probably aren't thinking about it as much as I am.”
“You've taken your break and you're feeling calmer, but you still don't want to do your assignment. What should happen next?”
Return to the task and ask for help/modify the task if needed.
“Exactly. Regulation helps us get ready to return, not permanently escape something difficult.”
“Why is it helpful to notice when you're entering the Yellow Zone instead of waiting until you're in the Red Zone?”
You have more control and can use strategies before things escalate.
“You notice yourself getting frustrated. You take a break, calm down, and then return to your work. What happened?”
You regulated yourself and returned to learning.
“That's the goal. A break isn't the end of the task. It's something that helps your brain get ready to come back.”
“Why doesn't one strategy work for everyone?”
Different strategies work for different people and different situations.
“Exactly. Regulation isn't one-size-fits-all. We have to figure out what works for our own brain and body.”
“Finish this sentence:
Instead of saying ‘I can't,’ I can say ______.”
Let them come up with their own.
“You are in the Red Zone and you know you're about to make an unsafe choice. What is the most important thing to do?”
Keep yourself and others safe and get adult support.