Introduction
In a school setting, students encounter various situations that may cause them to feel upset or uncomfortable. As educators, it’s crucial to teach students the importance of staying calm and maintaining self-control. This not only ensures a positive learning environment but also fosters the development of essential social-emotional skills. In this blog post, we will explore a no-prep activity, discussion questions, and related skills to help students stay calm and composed in school.
No-Prep Activity: The Calm-Down Countdown
This simple yet effective activity requires no preparation or materials and can be easily implemented in the classroom. The Calm-Down Countdown helps students learn to regulate their emotions by practicing deep breathing and counting.
- When a student starts to feel upset or overwhelmed, encourage them to pause and take a moment to acknowledge their feelings.
- Ask the student to close their eyes and take a deep breath in through their nose for a count of four.
- Have the student hold their breath for a count of four.
- Then, instruct the student to exhale through their mouth for a count of four.
- Repeat this process until the student feels calmer and more in control of their emotions.
This activity can be easily adapted to suit individual needs and preferences. For example, some students may prefer counting to three or five instead of four.
Discussion Questions
- Can you think of a time when you felt upset or uncomfortable at school? How did you handle the situation?
- What are some strategies you can use to stay calm when faced with challenging situations in school?
- How can staying calm in school benefit both you and your classmates?
- Why is it important to consider how our actions and emotions impact others in a school setting?
- How can we support our classmates when they are struggling to stay calm or manage their emotions?
Related Skills
In addition to staying calm in school, there are several other related social-emotional skills that can help students thrive in a classroom setting. These include:
- Emotional regulation: Learning to identify, understand, and manage one’s emotions effectively.
- Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others, and offering support when needed.
- Active listening: Paying close attention to what others are saying, and responding appropriately.
- Problem-solving: Identifying and overcoming challenges in a constructive manner.
- Resilience: Bouncing back from setbacks and maintaining a positive attitude.
Next Steps
Teaching students to stay calm in school is an essential aspect of fostering a positive learning environment and nurturing social-emotional skills. To help you implement these strategies and explore other related skills in your classroom, we invite you to sign up for free samples of our materials at Everyday Speech. These resources will provide you with practical tools and tips to support your students in their social-emotional learning journey.
