Tremendous Power I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate, It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power To make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture, Or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humour, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides, Whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated And a child humanized or de-humanized. By Haim Ginott

Kings Meadow School Karen Lewis Marian McClelland Believe & Achieve

Objectives To share and explore knowledge, skills and understanding which underpins the ethos and practice of Kings Meadow School. To provide an opportunity to reflect on your understanding and practice, including how your school adapts to meet the needs of dysregulated children.

Our Beliefs All children can and will achieve. There is always a reason behind a child’s behaviour response. The greatest cognitive growth happens when needs are met. Knowing the children we teach is as important as knowing what we teach. Knowing the families of the children we teach and working with them is essential to children’s education. Social and emotional development is equal to academic development. How children learn is as important as what children learn. Lasting change starts with the adult community.

What does BESD mean to you?

Some neuroscience “The kind of parenting we get as babies makes a big difference to the brain we develop. If we’re nurtured lovingly, we thrive emotionally.” Sue Gerhardt Why Love Matters (2004)

Experiences Build Brain Architecture clip

Secure attachments provide… An Internal Working Model A sense of self as worthy of affection and respect A capacity to relate to others with sensitivity and respect A capacity to tolerate frustration and uncertainty

Windows of Stress Tolerance Help for Billy (2012) Heather T. Forbes Maxine Max

Brain scan of a child from a Romanian orphanage Brain scan of a child who received loving parenting

Building up self-awareness and the capacity to regulate arousal

Developing Positive Relationships Focus on the child rather than the problem Be present Acknowledge how you perceive the child to be feeling Stay in the present and be calm and patient Listen to the child and hear what they are saying Be understanding and accepting Be mentally and emotionally available ~ provide a safe and stable relationship

Building up self-awareness and the capacity to regulate arousal What happens when we don’t pay attention to low-anxiety behaviours? Child may become anxious, dysregulated and out of control This will mean that the child may: Continue to have poor self-awareness Have difficulties relating to others Not be able to think clearly Not have experience of being in a state of calm Have other physiological difficulties due to high levels of cortisol in their bodies

Regulation support – stage 1 Name the behaviour and link to gentle feedback e.g. “I think you might be feeling anxious right now as you are pacing the room”. This needs to be commented upon in a neutral and quiet voice so as not to shame the child. Get alongside the child with empathy. Recognise our responsibility for enabling anxiety to be lowered.

Regulation support – stage 2 Match the behaviour with the possible feeling and trigger (you should be attuned to the child) Make it clear you are guessing. e.g. “You’re pacing. I think you might be a little anxious. This work might be hard for you and you might need some help.”

Regulation support – stage 3 Next give the child a tool to regulate their arousal level. Provide some type of soothing. Give legitimate control e.g. “We could breathe deeply together, make a pizza on our backs or …..” (Use calm box) Adult can co-regulate the child just by engaging in soothing activity together

Regulation support – stage 4 Final stage of the regulation process is that the child internalises the process of calming down.

Chance for Change Healthy relationships Regulated environment Meeting child’s emotional and social needs Reducing stress that leads to overwhelm Necessary elements needed for change

We have a responsibility to make best use of what we know. We now know that we need to adapt our practice in schools in order to support children whose emotional age may be much younger than their chronological age, and who may have complex needs. Louise Bomber 2007