“Fostering self-regulation and emotional control” have become as much a part of instruction as reading and writing. Kids that are not able to understand and manage their emotions are not able to learn and frequently make it difficult for others to learn. Before this book was published, I used the graphic of a stop light to teach kids about how to define and consider their feelings and discuss strategies to keep from getting overwhelmed and making choices that created a whole new layer of problems for the classroom community. The Zones of Regulation: A Curriculum Designed To Foster Self-Regulation and Emotional Control (2011) by Leah M. Kuypers develops a solid approach to exploring these topics in a far more comprehensive way. Adding a blue zone to talk about when you are sad or sick or tired or bored or moving slowly helps kids to understand their feelings with far more depth. I was introduced to this book by a behaviour intervention support worker and have it reintroduced by ever other STIBS worker who I have crossed paths with in Vancouver. It is generally proposed for use with a student struggling to manage their behaviour in the classroom and readily embraced by classroom teachers for use with the whole class. The support poster is pricey at $12.00 but worth it because you can use dry erase markers and help students create personalized toolkits to manage the emotions listed in the four zones. The reproducibles included in the book are well thought out and included on a CD. I have just bought another copy of this book for my current staff because it has been wholeheartedly embraced by two of my teachers. It isn’t a book to borrow, it’s a book to have on hand for your own reference.
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