One of the key areas of the brain that manages emotions is called the limbic system.  In a typically functioning brain, the limbic system works in concert with the prefrontal cortex which is often thought of as the regulatory area of the brain.  When working in concert, the limbic and prefrontal areas of the brain allows us to manage and control our emotions.  Unless we are in serious danger, our prefrontal cortex will manage and control our strong emotions so we are able to function.  While these systems don’t always work perfectly (you still lose your cool from time to time) overall everything stays in check.

For certain brains (and people) things don’t work as smoothly. Instead of the coordinated interplay between the limbic and the prefrontal areas, the limbic system takes over, limiting the control of the frontal lobes (rational decision region).  For the kids (and adults) who have difficulty with their behavior, this is the problem they face.  They experience strong emotional reactions in their limbic area, without the frontal lobe management.  

All of the emotions, without any of the solutions

This is what you see in your classroom when you have kids with difficulty with emotional regulation. However, all is not lost.  A brain can be taught new skills!

Connect emotions to behaviors for lasting change.

The most significant relationship in your classroom is the relationship among emotions, behavior, and the ability to learn. It is critical for us to teach kids to understand this relationship and positively support their learning in your classroom, at home, and everywhere else.

Make Emotions Matter in Your Classroom

The Emotional Classroom shows your students the connection between their emotions and their behavior.   Learning these critical life skills makes it easier for your students to pay attention in school, at home, and in their everyday activities. Your support lets them become great students, great learners, and great classmates.  Ultimately, your emotionally regulated classroom sets your students on the path to be ready to learn, no matter the subject matter.

In order for your students to learn to manage their emotions, they need to learn to understand what events trigger different emotions. This is done through making emotions a part of your classroom. In the beginning it may feel awkward. That's OK.

You’ll want to tell students that you will be talking about emotions, its impact on learning and really how emotions impact everything they do every day.  How incredibly  powerful it will be for your students  to know that if they work at it, they will able to learn, to understand and to manage their emotions. You can share with them that their lives will be so much easier and more fun, and they will never, well almost never, have to hear a teacher get frustrated with their behavior ever again.  

Each day, you talk about emotions, and help yours students to make the connection among emotions, behavior, and learning.  You teach students how to make choices so they learn how to take control of their emotions- because, EMOTIONS DRIVE BEHAVIOR

ALL Emotions All the Time

Using worksheets, small games, and for some, in-depth self guided apps, students learn how to manage their behaviors on their own. The entire class benefits from building personal strategies to manage their emotions. Learning these critical life skills makes it easier to pay attention in school, at home and in their everyday activities.  These straightforward activities and in-class games highlight students emotions. They provide students a framework and emotional routes with easy to follow steps with which to deal with their everyday lives. You can quickly incorporate these lesson plans, worksheets, and tools to create your own emotional classroom where students understand their emotions and behaviors. A classroom where kids are attentive and ready to learn.