Zones of Regulation

What are The Zones of Regulation?
The Zones is used to teach self-regulation by labeling all the different ways we feel and states of alertness we experience into four zones.  The Zones curriculum provides strategies to teach students to become more aware of their emotions, improve controlling their emotions and impulses, managing their sensory needs, and improving their ability to problem solve conflicts.

The Four Zones
The Blue Zone is used to describe low states of alertness, such as when one feels sad, tired, sick, or bored.

The Green Zone is used to describe a calm state of alertness. A person may be described as happy, focused, content, or ready to learn when in the Green Zone.  Being in the Green Zone will help students be successful in the classroom.

The Yellow Zone is also used to describe a heightened state of alertness and elevated emotions; however, one has some control when they are in the Yellow Zone.  A person may be experiencing stress, frustration, anxiety, excitement, silliness, the wiggles, or nervousness when in the Yellow Zone.

The Red Zone is used to describe extremely heightened states of alertness and intense emotions.  A person may be elated or experiencing anger, rage, explosive behavior, devastation, or terror when in the Red Zone. A person is described as “out of control” if in the Red Zone.

Expected and Unexpected Behaviors
Expected behaviors are the behaviors that give people around you good or comfortable thoughts about you. Classroom rules are the expected behaviors in the classroom and are taught consistently. (Examples of expected behaviors: raising your hand, paying attention, be respectful, etc.)

Unexpected behaviors are the behaviors that give people uncomfortable thoughts about you.  The unexpected behaviors for the classroom are not always taught to students. It is important to teach students about how unexpected behaviors can affect their learning, as well as the learning of others. (Examples of unexpected behaviors: hitting, blurting out, not completing work, etc.)

Tools and Strategies
Students can develop a toolbox, which is a collection of calming and alerting strategies a student can pull from depending on the present need. The tools or strategies in the toolbox are calming or alerting techniques that help the student in regulation. Students can use the Stop, Opt, Go concept to help control impulses and problem solving better solutions. Students need to first stop their brain before they act, think of the options and how they will work out, and go with the best option to help them get back to the Green Zone.

How can you use The Zones of Regulation?
Students have received instruction in identifying the emotions that go with each zone, expected and unexpected behaviors, and tools and strategies.

Here are some things that can be done to support The Zones of Regulation:

• Continue to practice identifying the emotions that go with each zone
• Continue to practice identifying expected and unexpected behaviors
• Continue to practice utilizing tools and strategies (It is best to practice the tools and strategies when the students are calm, so they will be comfortable to use the tools when they are not in the green zone)
• When you see someone in the blue, yellow or red zone, prompt them to identify what zone they are in and to identify a tool or strategy they can use to get back to the Green Zone

If you see a student in the yellow or red zone, prompt them to “stop their brain” and choose a strategy to calm down.