Why Calm Down Corners Matter
A calm down corner is a must have in my classroom. I have taught in high poverty schools for my whole teaching career. Unfortunately, that often means that many of my students do not always feel safe at home. They have often experienced significant trauma. Many of them do not have consistency outside of school. My number one priority, above test scores, above reading levels, above anything really, has always been to provide my students with a feeling of safety at school. It is important to me that student feel safe to experience whatever emotions they are dealing with. And more than that, I want to teach students to self-manage, or self-regulate, these emotions. I teach them that emotions are feelings, and feelings are okay. All of them. It’s how we react to them that is important.
Here are my 7 biggest tips for implementing a Calm Down Corner:
1.Teach explicit procedures for your self regulation space.
It’s vital to set rules and routines for your regulation space. When I started my first self regulation area, I failed to do this. You can guess what happened. I had students going there to play, using it for avoidance, staying as long as they wanted, leaving it a mess, and so on… As you can imagine, I was ready to close down my calm down corner and never look back. I am so glad I did not do that. Instead, I devoted some of my valuable instruction time to teaching procedures and expectations for my calm down corner. It made all the difference.
Some things to consider when teaching procedures:
- Spend time talking with students about examples of times when a student might use the space (and when they wouldn’t). Role play some of these situations.
- Model how students should move to the calm down corner.
- Consider a developmentally appropriate about of time for students to spend in the safe space. My suggestion is anywhere from 5-10 minutes. I give students timers.
- I make sure my students understand that they are still responsible for completing any work they miss while they are in the calm down corner.
- Post your expectations somewhere students can see them when they are in the calming corner.
2. Don't make the calm down corner a threat.
Going to the calm down corner shouldn’t be a punishment. I teach my students that going to the calm down corner is actually a reward. It rewards students for noticing that their emotions are taking over and need to be regulated, and it rewards them for choosing to use strategies to do that, instead of choosing to react negatively to the dysregulation. If we “force” students to go to the calm down corner, or use it as a punishment, it simply won’t work.
3. Include sensory tools in your calm down corner.
There are so many amazing sensory toys out there. Sensory toys provide the sensory input that students need. They stimulate one or more of the 5 senses. This can be especially beneficial for students with autism. By engaging the child’s attention, both cognitively and physically, they can shift a child’s attention from a stressor to the toy. You can check out some of my favorite sensory tools from Amazon using my aff. link here.
4. Teaching mindful breathing exercises that they can use in the calm down corner.
There are so many great mindfulness strategies for kids that can help them regulate emotions. I have included many of my favorites in my calm down kit. They are presented in a hands on and interactive way for students to use in the calm down corner.
5. Know your students to determine what to put in your calm down kit.
Knowing what works for your students is key. If you have a student who is very artistic, include art supplies. For a musically gifted student, include headphones and calming music. If you have a student who seems to love nothing but cars, include some toy cars or some Legos to build cars. Get to know your students and what helps them regulate their emotions. Figure out what brings them a sense of peace or comfort. Use those things to your advantage (and to theirs!)
6. Remember that emotions are not bad behavior.
This is important. We teach KIDS. It is our responsibility to teach students how to regulate their emotions. We aren’t born knowing this, but rather we learn by example and through direct instruction. This takes time. Remember to punish the behavior, not the emotion. When children express emotions, they are expressing a need. It is our job to figure out what that need it and provide it.
7. Don't stop there.
Teach elements of Social & Emotional Learning daily. Trust me, I know… you have standards to hit, you may have testing looming over you, and you feel like half of your students (at least) are behind. Is there really time to focus on SEL? What if I told you that according to a research study conducted by CASEL, Collaborative for Academic, Social, & Emotional Learning, SEL, when taught effectively, “provides a foundation for better adjustment and academic performance as reflected in more positive social behaviors, fewer conduct problems, less emotional distress, and improved test scores and grades” (CASEL, 2003). Students who have been exposed to SEL are more intrinsically motivated, goal oriented, empathetic, and responsible. This has been shown in students from K-12, in urban, suburban, and rural schools, with students of varying social economic status. If you ask me, that worth a little time each day.
If you are interested in checking out how I’ve taught SEL daily in my classroom, check out my Social Emotional Learning Curriculum: https://www.thesocialemotionalteacher.com/store/Social-Emotional-Learning-SEL-Curriculum-K-2-p130389219
Shop the Calm Corner Kits:
3 Comments
Hi there!
Do you sell pieces of your curriculum separately?
Thanks!
Hi Stefani! I sell my Calm Down Corner Kit as a single product. I do sell my Full Year SEL Curriculum in smaller chunks. You can check those out here: SEL Curriculum Products
Thanks so much!
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