Sample Mini-Lesson: Calm Down Corners

Benjamin Harris

Learning Targets:

1) Define calm down corner

2) Identify an example of how to use a calm-down corner

(Mrs. Bell The Crafty Counselor)

(Starr)

(Soames, 2020)

What is a "Calm-Down Corner"?

Just like kids have to be taught to wash their hands or do subtraction, they have to be taught emotional regulation. Calm-down corners are a sectioned off area of a classroom that students may go to when they are feeling overwhelmed or dysregulated for a short break. They can include things like headphones with calming music, sensory toys, and signs or books on topics such as breathing techniques and identifying feelings (Action For Healthy Kids). Although they can help any student, calm-down corners are a trauma-informed, social-emotional learning tool (Thompson, 2021) that can especially help students with trauma or behavioral issues. Social-emotional learning is the process that teaches how to, “understand and manage emotions...and make responsible decisions” (Thompson, 2021). Thompson’s study (2021) showed that using calm-down corners to give students a safe space and teach them how to self-regulate not only helped students feel better, but also decreased negative behaviors in the classroom.

When would You use a calm-down corner?

Example Scenario

8 year old Ella wakes up late for school and has to wake up her mom instead of taking the bus, which makes her mom upset. When she gets to school, she finds out that her best friend is home sick today. They don’t have what she wants for lunch, she gets really frustrated with their math lesson day, and feels tired. When her teacher tells her that they have to stay inside for recess today because of the rain, this is the. Final. Straw. She yells, “I hate this school!” and starts to cry.

Instead of punishing Ella, her teacher leads her to the calm-down corner. Away from her classmates, Ella puts on the headphones and uses the breathing techniques poster to help her stop crying. The signs in the corner help her understand that she was feeling overwhelmed. Ella can sit quietly and play with some fidget toys until she is able to return to the class.

Conclusion:

While calm-down corners can't be the only classroom management tool, they could be a simple and helpful addition to an elementary classroom. I think they may be especially useful to students with sensory issues or overwhelming lives out of school. Kids have really big feelings in really small bodies, so it is important to teach them how to identify and cope with difficult emotions!

Quiz:

1. What is a calm-down corner?

a) an area to punish ill-behaved students

b) an area the class goes for nap-time

c) an area students can go to practice emotional self-regulation

d) an area students can go when they don't want to participate

2. Which student should use the calm-down corner?

a) William: he got in argument with another student and is very upset and can no longer concentrate on his work

b) Brittney: she feels sick and wants to lay down

c) Dylan: they finished their work and want to go play with some fidget toys

d) Alex: he knows reading time is about to start and wants absolutely nothing to do with it

References

Action For Healthy Kids. (n.d.). Calm Down Corner. Action for Healthy Kids. Retrieved January 6, 2022, from https://www.actionforhealthykids.org/activity/calm-down-corner/

Mrs. Bell The Crafty Counselor. (n.d.). Chill out room school - google search: Elementary school counselor, Calm Down Corner, school counselor. Pinterest. Retrieved January 6, 2022, from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/534169205787594376/

Starr, J. (n.d.). How to create a safe space for small children with big feelings. Teaching with Jillian Starr. Retrieved January 6, 2022, from https://jillianstarrteaching.com/safe- space-classroom/

Soames, N. (2020, July 9). CREATING A CALM CORNER AT HOME. Bishops Support Unit. Retrieved January 6, 2022, from https://learning.bishops.org.za/bsu/creating-a-calm- corner-at-home/

Thompson, C. (2021). The Impact of a Classroom Calm Down Corner in a Primary Classroom. NW Commons' MASTER'S THESES & CAPSTONE PROJECTS, 1–36. Retrieved 2022, from https://nwcommons.nwciowa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1304&context=education_masters.

Answers

1: C

2. A

Page updated

Report abuse