TRUSD New Teacher and Mentor Support

Rapid Resets

Over the last few years, we've learned much about the social-emotional well-being of our students. We've learned why it's important to address those needs and have been trained in some of the many ways to do that in our classrooms. We've learned how SEL affects learning and academic achievement, and terms like "trauma response," "amygdala," and "flipping our lids" have become commonplace in our conversations about students.

But what about US? What about the educator in charge of learning the what, why, and how and then navigating that on a daily basis? Don't we need and deserve to calm our own central nervous systems first before taking on the challenges of our students? The definitive answer is YES.

Stress and trauma trigger the same type of fight, flight, or freeze response in the adult amygdala. This response hijacks the rest of the brain so it becomes focused solely on responding to the perceived threat. When this happens, and you know it will, we need to have a collection of go-to, rapid resets at the ready. We need to be able to tap into a quick-and-easy strategy that helps us snap ourselves out of the stress response and into a more calm and focused way of being. A recent Edutopia article focused on just this idea. Explore the suggestions for rapid resets below. Each one encourages us to lean on one of our senses until we are back in a space where we can find our voice.

Micro-Bursts of Self-Care — Julie MorgensternWe all desire self-care. More importantly, we’ve all come to understand that we need self-care. The physical and psychological benefits of self-nurturance have been scientifically proven , time and time again. It’s no longer a revolutionary concept. But we often struggle to attain and sustain i

Turning micro-moments into self-care ritualsIs this another article about self-care? And rituals? And how you need more of them in your life? Yep. Yep. And… yep. Let’s just take a moment to think about why we hear these words so often. Many of us are tired. Exhausted even. We have so many demands placed on us, from others and from ourselves. We’re also faced wit

Sipping Water for Self-Care During the School DayAn action as easy as taking a sip of water can help teachers and students calm themselves in stressful situations.

Getting in Tune to Soothe the Nervous SystemSinging or humming can be a simple way to get the whole classroom recentered when things are out of hand.

Using Physical Work to Calm the BrainMindful attention to the simple act of lifting or moving a heavy object can bring awareness to the body and calm the brain.

Taking a Quick Walk to De-escalateWhen the situation feels out of control, a short stroll can soothe jangled nerves and gently bring the thinking brain back online.

Pushing a Wall to Settle the Nervous SystemWhen a teacher or student feels triggered, focusing on a physical activity like leaning into a wall can help reset the brain.