You may have heard terms like the 'green zone' and the 'red zone' recently. Your child may have even mentioned they were 'in the yellow zone' this morning or the 'red zone' after a birthday party. This is all due to the fact that we have recently introduced the 'Zones of Regulation' framework across our school as part of our Social and Emotional Skills lessons.
'Zones of Regulation' is a framework for teaching students to identify and recognise their emotions, learn about the possible triggers for these emotions and develop strategies and problem solving skills for dealing with these emotions.
The important message is that there is no 'good or bad' zone, but that everyone experiences all 'Zones' at one time or another. The aim of the program is for students to be able to identify and problem solve when they are in a particular 'zone' and employ strategies to help manage their emotions and ultimately return to the 'Green Zone', which is optimal for learning.
As a parent or carer, we encourage you to talk to your child about which 'zone' you may be in at various times throughout the day and the strategies and techniques that help you manage your emotions. Perhaps you might even demonstrate some of the strategies that you use to help you get back to the 'green zone'. This could be things like, slow and controlled breathing, going for a walk, patting the dog, listening to music or singing, cooking or reading a book.
