By: Dr. Laura Cesaroni
This happened recently, with a 7 year old girl.
I asked, “How was your day at school?”
Truly I wasn’t attending closely, looking down, and busy taking notes. Silence. I pause, this feels different. I look up.
Her eyes were avoiding mine, looking down…
“I’m not doing anything today, don’t ask me.”
Red face and ears. Refusal. Pressing hard into the wood table with a pencil.
A missed opportunity, a misreading. I felt it, immediately.
Slowly I take a breath, releasing some of the tension I was feeling. Understanding I missed the early signals because of my stress and insistence to write notes.
I needed to re-engage and repair, this was more about me than the child.
“I think I’ll make a cup of tea. Let me know if you would like to join me.” I say softly and move slowly. I know this student loves herbal tea, with honey. I start to get up –
“I ONLY WAS IN THE RED THREE TIMES TODAY!!!” she shouts and moves swiftly.
I turn to her and she is up and beside me. She is so close. I can feel her breath. Her eyes are piercing mine, her face is more flushed, her eyes are liquid, she is ready for a fight.
“The RED”: I hear about this a lot from the parents and children we work with. It is a colour that raises tension. Sometimes it is a chart, a red card or a specific space in the classroom that is identified as a “red area”. There are often consequences for being in the red. Being in the green, yellow, or blue is expected and manageable.
I used to have many coloured behaviour thermometers, I would even travel with these tools to homes and schools – the #10 was red. I used it thinking it would support me in “shaping” behaviours. I came to realize that this was not a strategy that supported the child’s regulation or flexibility. In fact, it interfered with the child’s ability to problem-solve or think. Who, then, were these supports really for?
With this small, sweet girl in mind – I was driven to reframe this system. How could we engage and respond to ALL children without using the colour system during and after upsets?
Thinking about “belonging” in our community was a start – the idea of building a community setting so that all children experience belonging, not embarrassment or shame. How do we support the process of self- regulating, so that some students are not identified as the disruptors, the ones that need management tools? I do believe we have to think differently about these systems and the culture they create in our communities.
Why?
I noticed that some children and teens they would hit the red quickly and frequently. They were often seeking heightened emotional interactions and feedback and seemed under-reactive to many positive interactions. Many of these children appeared disorganized and unwilling to engage or learn. These were not “attention seeking” behaviours, they were different. These kids were in a constant state of “red” or physiological arousal. Trying to manage this with a colour system tool created a disconnected dynamic.
For us, it felt like the strategy dismissed the human being, that the child no longer mattered, that we were doing things to them, not with them.
We saw this as an opportunity to engage differently – we used ourselves, our social connections and dynamic as a way to reduce the child’s arousal. Through this process we discovered more about our interpersonal and relational context. We recognized that our social community had to connect differently. Children deserved much more than a system that shaped behaviours. Their reactions were searching for empathy, warmth and support to help them find a balance during interactions.
What helped us shift our mindset? We realized it was about us, as therapists and educators, and not just about the child. We turned to The Shanker Method for support. We are in a unique position. We can either support physiological regulation or not. Dr. Shanker explains:
The Self-Reg Framework offered many processes that supported our work. The model helps us understand stress, how to decode behaviours and understand contexts that can support self-regulation. Also, an understanding of “neuroception” informed our practices further. Dr. Stephen Porges (Polyvagal Theory) uses this term to describe our brains’ ability to detect threat in our environment and why and when the social engagement system may not be accessible.
“Functionally, when the environment is perceived as safe, important features are expressed…bodily state is regulated in an efficient manner to promote growth and restoration (eg, visceral homeostasis). Neuroception represents a neural process that enables humans and other mammals to engage in social behaviours by distinguishing safe from dangerous contexts.”
With practice and patience, understanding the child’s state and experiences and holding space for the interaction became our response. Management tools were no longer used or needed.
The Self-Reg framework and science supported our reflections and journey. I wondered about exposure to this management strategy and the cumulative history of these repeated exchanges for our children. Were we truly supporting cooperation? Could the use of these tools elicit stress behaviours, especially for students who have a history of management with these systems? What do students really associate and remember (physiologically, emotionally, socially) about the colour “red”? By aligning “red” with higher arousal (“anger”, “defiance”) could we be (unintentionally) constructing and eliciting memories and defensive states making their systems more sensitive? In essence, were we building a physiological platform in opposition to positive social responses and experiences, maybe even disrupting the child’s working model of relationships and ability to self-regulate.
Are some strategies that are so commonplace alienating? Our learners often report feeling left out, feeling overwhelmed and incapable. They have lost connections, missed social opportunities and feel their voice no longer matters. What is the child structuring and internalizing about their own ways of being? I was deeply concerned, that for some children, adult responses and strategies were weakening their resources and abilities to return to calm, flexible and regulated states.
Reflective inquiry and action is part of our process. This has allowed us to think deeply about needs and cues we use every day, moment to moment. We had to weave this into our culture, through discussions and using a Self-Reg lens. Here are some reflection points which sparked our journey:
- Consider how labeling behaviours with colour make children feel: Shame? Embarrassment? Threatened? At risk?
- Increase positive face-to-face experiences and notice the cues.
- Think about events in the interpersonal field. Does our context support relational happiness?
- Are there adult-child relationships within our context that are more concerning than others, and why?
- Am I self-aware right now? Does the child see threat in my response, or can they move close to me?
- Foster inclusion strategies, not exclusion. Build trust and motivation to work together, not against.
- Continue to raise the bar. Set high, clear expectations.
- And most importantly, listen, listen, listen, with interest and curiosity.
When reframing “RED”, I wonder about building resilience. We all have strengths, weaknesses, and needs that we all can be hypersensitive to during some periods in our life. How do we balance out as adults? I think part of the answer is about the social-emotional feedback we get during challenging periods – our relational contexts can help foster growth and regulation, or not. If we are not allowing children to experience and consider their experiences with support and connections, I wonder if they will develop the ability to think, reflect, plan and become more emotionally aware.
I encourage you to think about interpersonal fields and the tools used to shape behaviour and regulation, and to do it from a place of curiosity. Yes, it will raise many questions and it requires ongoing commitment and practice, however, it has the power to shift our culture and how we intervene when supporting children in our communities.
This article was reposted with permission from the FERN York Region blog.
76 Comments
Very interesting take. I have never loved the zones of regulation as a tool – it seems too simplistic and not individualized enough in most incidences.
Having said this I do see if the tool is used by the student as a means of communication to the staff about how they feel I think it can be helpful. This is particularly true if a student does not have the ability to verbalize. I think in these cases the tool needs to be used as a way to signal to staff that a student might need help but it is then the staffs role to be “stress detectives” to determine why the student is ” in the red” and then help them by using the most appropriate tool(s) to regulate. So in essence to co-regulate with them.
I also see the potential difficulty in a student being able to accurately identify when they are “in the red” and this is why it is a tool that needs to be regularly observed but staff so that when students do have the capability to identify how they are feeling and the colour changes the staff are aware. In their awareness the staff can see that maybe a student’s stress levels are rising and they can use other “clues” in behavior and energy levels to help support this observation.
In terms of how using this tool might make a child / student feel about the colour red – of course there is truth to this and it is a distinct possibility that the student may develop a negative connotation towards this colour. Having said this, I think society already has a negative connotation for RED – it is the colour of anger and rage, the colour of the devil, hell etc. I am not sure if this tool would be the TSN turning point in shaping an individual’s perspective. I also think that at the end of the day way whatever colour or image we replaced this with the same potential exists.
In any case, I prefer to see it as the colour for STOP – stop and think, stop and remove yourself, stop and ask for help, stop and take a break. In this understanding of what “being in the red” means I do not think it negative rather a reminder.
Of course, like all things in life, all of this is situational. what I mean by this is we need to use the right tool for the right person at the right time. This tool would never work for my mainstream highschool students and would for the most part make them feel juvenile.
I will say it again. RIGHT Tool, for the RIGHT person , at the RIGHT time!!
Thanks for your comment, Kendra! As I read your words, I started to think about self-control vs. Self-Reg. Does the Zones tool play into a self-control mindset? Thoughts? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Aviva
Reframing a management strategy – I learned about this use of color red and how to use colors when dealing with children. I thought it was a good model but this article is helping me to shift that mindset. and creating a sense of belonging really resonated with me. As for my own children who are living in a community that is divided by a river and the communities mindsets of both sides. It’s a stressor for them and if we as a community, can shift mindsets to help them prosper rather than feel sides of each side then we can eliminate their stress of sense of community. One side is a Town and the other side is a First Nation and that in itself creates tension in our youngest community members.
Thanks for sharing, Kendra! I would love to hear more about the stressor caused by the two communities. Considering Self-Reg, what might help reduce this stress? Thanks for making the connection here!
Aviva
This article really resonated with me, especially the idea that sometimes the strategies we use can become more about us than the child. The line about doing things to children instead of with them stood out, because I think that’s easy to fall into when we’re focused on managing behaviour instead of understanding the behavior at its core.
It also connected a lot to my own takeaway about how much our presence matters. I’ve learned that even the best strategies don’t work the way they’re intended to if I’m not regulated myself. That idea of “dysregulation begets dysregulation” feels very real in practice. If I’m rushed, distracted, or focused on getting through something (like notetaking in your example), I’m more likely to miss those early cues and unintentionally escalate the situation.
The moment with the student and “the red” really stood out to me. It shows how something like a colour system can take on a much bigger meaning for a child, subconscious or otherwise. It can shift from being about behaviour to something that feels personal, almost like an identity. Instead of helping with awareness, it can bring up shame, defensiveness, or a need to mask themselves.
I also appreciated the point about children who seem to live in that constant “red” state. It made me reflect on how pushing for compliance in those moments can have the adverse affect on tolerance, and just compound more stress. I still believe in helping students push slightly beyond their comfort zone, but only when they feel supported enough to do so. Otherwise, we’re not really building the skills of tolerance and regulation, leading to a boost in self confidence.
The part that stood out most to me was the emphasis on adult self-awareness and repair. That moment of pausing, recognizing the misread, and re-engaging differently is something I’ve had to work on as well. It’s a good reminder that our role isn’t to be perfect, but avoid reacting, so as to be responsive and willing to adjust in the moment.
Overall, this reinforced for me that the shift isn’t just about changing strategies, but about changing mindset—from compliance to connection, and from managing behaviour to understanding stress and supporting regulation.
Thanks for your very informative comment, Christopher! I really liked what you shared. Do you see yourself making any changes based on your new thinking and learning? How might you support others in understanding Self-Reg? I would love to hear more.
Aviva
I appreciate the thoughtful discussion on the potential pitfalls of some SEL frameworks, particularly regarding tools that categorize emotions or behaviours into “colour zones.” It’s important to be aware of how these frameworks are perceived by students, and the concern that students might feel judged or stigmatized for being in a “certain zone” is valid.
However, I believe it’s crucial not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The effectiveness of some tools can largely depend on how they are implemented, not just on the tools themselves. When used as part of a broader approach that emphasizes self-reflection, growth, and empathy, these frameworks can serve as valuable scaffolds for students’ emotional understanding, context is key.
Rather than labelling students or suggesting that one “zone” is inherently “bad,” the key is in how we frame the conversation. For instance, if these tools are presented as a way to reflect on where a student is emotionally, and as a means for awareness to help move toward a more productive state, it encourages self-awareness without judgment. This type of practice helps students understand that emotions are fluid and changeable, and that being in a particular zone is not a fixed identity but a temporary state that can be managed and navigated.
Additionally, these tools can open up important dialogues about emotional regulation, resilience, and empathy, helping students build skills that will serve them well beyond the classroom. The challenge, then, is not in the tools themselves but in how we as educators model and guide students through these reflective processes. When framed as part of a learning journey toward emotional growth, rather than as a static assessment of “good” or “bad,” they can be incredibly empowering.
In short, with the right guidance, SEL frameworks that use colour zones or similar tools don’t need to send a message of judgment—they can be an invitation for self-reflection and a path toward deeper emotional insight.
Thanks for your comment, Dawn-Marie! I appreciate your perspective and understand that there are different viewpoints on this topic. Have you seen this article? I wonder if it shares a little bit more about Shanker’s Self-Reg compared to these different programs: https://self-reg.ca/self-regulation-self-control-and-self-reg/. I find the chart particularly helpful. What about you?
Aviva
In my class, we used to have the Zones of Regulation for our daily check-in. Often, we would have students automatically choose the same colour everyday, regardless of how they were feeling. Choosing the ‘Green’ zone became a habit, and not a true reflection of their emotions. Recently, we have switched to an ‘Where’s my Energy’ board, where students check in twice daily; in the morning, and after lunch. They choose from Energetic/ Jumpy, Focused/Relaxed, Chill/Calm, or Tired/Sluggish. It works well for our class, especially with our nonverbal kids, they can pick the emoji that best represents how they are feeing.
🤪 🙂 😎 🥱
This is great to hear! Do you ever have kids who struggle with determining where they fit? What do you do then? I’d love to hear!
Aviva
This is an interesting outlook on the colour based tools and frameworks such as the Zones of Regulation. I can see the reasoning about the negative association between behaviour and colour. I agree these tools can have a negative impact on students if used in a punitive way.
Personally my experiences have been very different from the authors.
I have found that when introduced correctly these can be very helpful in giving children words to start naming their emotions. The movie ‘Inside Out’ also plays a big role in our students naming emotions.
This allowed us to make a connection with the student on their level in simple terms.
It is more about the energy of the zone and then the emotion within. No good/bad judgement. Red can be angry or super excited. The colour is just a way of opening a door and exploring with the child what emotions/energies there are within. It is the name it to tame it strategy really.
We work with the students to recognize how their body brain and heart were doing in different situations. This reflection is key but also needs to be taught. We pause and do what I called a body/ brain scan. This helps the students recognize what calm feels like too!
A huge part of this teaching is that all emotions are ok. No Judgment! Also separating the emotion from behaviours.
For example its ok to be angry. Yes, everyone gets angry! Is it ok to hit others when we are angry – no. why not? It would hurt them etc. What can we do instead? – and teach strategies to help the student respond in a more appropriate way.
I’m super frustrated that I can’t tie my shoe, should I throw it across the room? No, why not? Oh someone may get hurt. OK what can I do instead?
Its ok to be super excited that I just won the lottery. Should I jump on my desk and yell “Im rich, Im rich” and quit my job? Probably not lol
We would use the feelings thermometer again as a voice for the student along with all the other teaching that goes along with it. If there is no teaching to go with it to help the student recognize their body, emotions and thoughts then yes it is a useless tool. This reflection is important and we need to work with the student on this.
When I hear “I was only red 3 times today!” That sounds like a celebration to me. Maybe the student usually hits the red zone 6 times a day and was able to self regulate 3 times before getting there 🙂 It also sounds like they are proud of that accomplishment and proud is a feeling we really need to have the students recognize. It is one thing for the student to hear we are proud of them but the goal truly is for them to be able to tell us they are proud of themselves.
Any framework or tool may be helpful or harmful depending on how it is used.
It truly comes down to how we are framing it. I agree it is our own (societies) judgment that makes red a bad place to be. All emotions and energies are ok its what we do with them that counts.
I appreciate your perspective and understand that there are different viewpoints on this topic. Have you seen this article, Deborah? I wonder if it shares a little bit more about Shanker’s Self-Reg compared to these different programs: https://self-reg.ca/self-regulation-self-control-and-self-reg/. I find the chart particularly helpful. What about you?
Aviva
I agree that Children would become more emotionally aware, able to plan and develop the ability to think with the right supports in place.
Thanks Tan! What else might we be able to do to get these supports?
Aviva
This has been thought-provoking. I believe that within some of these programs, there are some great ideas for teaching skills and strategies, but too often, I see them being over-simplified – used to categorize children’s behaviour, and/or to reward/punish emotions/behaviours, with little to no emphasis on ‘normalizing’ all states, and teaching skills (e.g, identifying emotions and body signs, managing stressors, strategies to help us return to a state that is optimal for the situation etc.).
Thanks for the comment, Dawn! Thinking about a Self-Reg versus a self-control mindset, I wonder what role programs might play. As we know, emotions are also complicated. Could this also increase stress for kids, who might be feeling many different things all at the same time? Thoughts?
Aviva
In this article the girl “was the red” but the context of why she was in the red three times wasn’t given. I, however, am curious to know what the girl did to be in the red three times. Was she already close to red because of something that had happened before she arrived at school? What set her off three times? Was she put in the red because a staff supporting her was also in the red? And according to whose version of the red was she in?
The thing I find interesting about using colours/zones to describe emotions/behaviours/regulation is that it can be very abstract. Especially to the students that need to hear things labeled exactly as they are to fully understand what they are experiencing.
Also with it being labeled as “red = bad” it doesn’t give permission to experience the emotions in the red zone when there are definitely times where being angry or mad are okay.
It’s our response to their red moments and how we teach them to process and regulate through it that is important so they are able to successfully navigate and regulate through those feelings/behaviours in the future.
Thanks for sharing, Jenni! I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about these Zones since I read this post. I wonder if part of my struggle is a Self-Reg versus a self-control mindset. If we’re looking at students moving themselves between the zones and getting themselves out of “red” and to another colour, are we assuming that students have control over these emotions? Are we assuming that students are choosing their behaviour? And as you pointed out, are we assuming that feeling certain emotions is wrong/bad? I’d love to hear more about what you and others think.
Aviva
I attempted to answer in the Blog, however there is a photo in the way of the comment box, I will try to do this backward- but IT should be made aware.
Zones of Regulation is a cornerstone of learning in many classrooms – I have often struggled with the concept because educators set up a “calming corner” with all the posters etc. While they may have touched on the concepts, children are asked to “go away” to think about their actions, zone etc.
We know that self reg is only obtainable when several factors come together, which includes Co-Regulation.
In the blog, the little girl identified only that she was in the red 3x, without necessarily understanding the actual emotion she was feeling, the trigger for such a reaction, and what calming practice she used (with her educator) to help her cope with those big emotions.
Thanks for sharing, Joanne! I love how you mentioned co-regulation as well as “several factors” that come together to make Self-Reg possible. With this in mind, what might Self-Reg in the classroom look like instead? I’d love to hear more of your thoughts.
Aviva
The Zones of Regulation is a practical resource to teach students emotions and strategies to help them stay calm and alert.
I saw in a class, the first thing when students came to class was putting their name rocks in one of the zones. I saw there was a calming corner in another class with posters on wall and sensory toys in a bin. I saw mindfulness in Shape of the Day.
I also saw kids using it as an excuse to play with toys at the corner at learning time. Want vs Need? One student said too nervous to join the dance practice. We had a conversation and tried a First-Then visual with a timer, he joined the dance and did very well. Nervous or need motivation?
To make effective use of the Zones, teachers and EAs have a lot to learn and practice with students, and go deeper. Four colored zones are just the beginning of regulation. How to help students understand and cope? Do we have enough EAs to support them, co-regulate and teach skills?
Thanks for your comment, Julia! I’m wondering about the complexity of emotions and the “self” component of Self-Reg. What about students who struggle with Zones? Have you seen this in action before? How might we support these students? I would love to hear more.
Aviva
What stood out to me in this blog is the idea that behavior management systems like color-coded charts often create more stress and shame for children rather than helping them self-regulate. I really resonate with the shift towards focusing on empathy and connection, especially when children are in distress. By using the Self-Reg framework, it’s clear that understanding a child’s emotional and physiological state is key to supporting them effectively. Instead of labeling behaviors and enforcing consequences, we should create an environment where children feel safe, understood, and supported. This approach fosters resilience and helps children learn to manage their emotions in healthy, lasting ways.
Thanks for sharing your takeaway from this post. I really like your thinking here. How might we go about creating this environment? I would love to hear more of your thoughts.
Aviva
Really interesting information, as an EA I often see the zone of regulation charts being used in classrooms everyday. Some teachers use it for daily check in or after recess break.However, I feel everyday the students pick same colour as they know it very well that if they are in red or yellow teacher will tell them to do certain breath work exercises. I feel there are pros and cons of this system , it could be beneficial for some students and could be nothing for others. For my one non verbal student , it’s hard to understand and for my other non verbal student it’s understandable and he can tell me by looking at it.
Thanks for your reply! It’s valuable to consider carefully who benefits from structured approaches in your role as an EA and who might be inadvertently left out. As an EA, have you observed students who remain stressed despite following and appearing to understand the program—and could recognizing stressors in the five domains help explain this?
Aviva
I have spent a number of years teaching the zones of regulation and found this author’s view point interesting. I have seen extreme success with this program in allowing students to begin to recognize and label their emotions. I do believe it’s the way we frame the zones. The colour zones should never be judged or stated as “bad” or “good” but rather normal states of emotion that we all flow through. The important part that I see missing from some of the teachings is the co-regulation piece. Once a student can recognise emotions some work needs to be done by the adults to assist a student in coregulating of these emotions. Being sent away to a “red” or calming corner to figure it out on their own may add to their stress as they may not have required that skill yet. I can see how a student may feel stigmatized when in the red zone and this in itself causes more stress.
Thanks for your reply, Natalie! Given your reflections as an EA (I’m assuming this lens since you’re responding as part of the Self-Reg EA course), it prompts deeper thinking about whether a program reduces stress itself or if co-regulation within relationships is the real driver. Can you identify any hidden stressors that the program alone might not address, but relationships might?
Aviva
What stood out to me was the idea that colour coding and causes more stress. I use and have ran many groups that used the Zones of Regulation and it has been successful for many. Sometimes I would get the repeated zone they were in day after day. But it was the occassions when they were really needing to define whatg they were feeling they were able to do it with success and use their tools and strategies to help them. I also have had students who helped other students gain the ability to use it with sucess. It needs modelling and reviewing and guidance to have the greatest success. Understanding that its okay to have these big emotions and feelings is part of the process,to help them foster independence in dealing with their feelings and emotions that trigger the behaviours.
Thanks for your reply! It’s interesting you’re reflecting on structured programs as part of your Self-Reg EA course. These approaches often focus on Step 3—reducing the stress load and stress response—but effectiveness can vary widely. Have you noticed certain students or adults for whom the program doesn’t seem to reduce stress effectively, and might hidden stressors across the five domains explain why?
Aviva
I am not a big fan of Zones of Regulation. I find it reductive and most often it is implemented incorrectly. It does not really take into account neuroception even though it is based on Polyvagal theory to my understanding. Something else to consider is that not all people interpret emotions the same way. Self Reg meets people where they are at and allows for differences in experience.
Thanks for your reply, Chantal! Responding as part of your Self-Reg EA course, you’re raising significant questions about program effectiveness and the complexity behind reducing stress responses (Step 3). Could your growing understanding of the five domains of stress deepen your insight into who exactly benefits from these structured strategies? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Aviva
I have seen and witnessed the zones of regulation in various classes. I find they are used mainly in younger grades which is great to teach and provide students a way to show how they are feeling and then be provided with the opportunity to use strategies to regulate etc
For me personally, I find the zones tricky with who I support directly as the student doesn’t understand the terminology. Putting together what feeling go with each zone is not practical.
Thanks for your comment, Julie! Based on your new learning about Self-Reg, what might your approach be for the children who you support? You mentioned how Zones is often used in younger grades. How do students respond to it? Are there other children like your students, who struggle with Zones? I wonder if a Self-Reg approach might help them as well. Thoughts?
Aviva
I have been using the Zones for many years, and for me, there’s always been a lot of thought, planning, and teaching before implementing the strategy. I take the time to personalize the plan for each individual. It was interesting to read about how some children may feel shame, embarrassment, or even threatened, at risk, or as if they are being punished when the strategy is applied.
By learning to identify which zone you’re in, you gain awareness of your emotional state, which is a crucial step in self-regulation. The Zones encourage individuals to recognize when they’re in a zone that may require a shift to their emotions. It teaches coping strategies for moving from one zone to another, such as deep breathing for moving from the Yellow to the Green Zone or taking a break when in the Red Zone.
Increased emotional awareness: Knowing what zone you’re in helps you understand your emotions.
Coping strategies: The Zones framework provides tools and techniques for managing emotions in different zones (like calming strategies or focusing techniques).
Self-monitoring: It encourages self-reflection and mindfulness, helping individuals check in with themselves and take proactive steps to return to a regulated state.
Empowerment: By learning about the zones, individuals feel empowered to make choices that help them move toward a more balanced emotional state.
Overall, it provides a structured way to practice self-regulation, which improves emotional control and can lead to better decision-making, improved focus, and healthier interpersonal interactions.
I guess like every strategy, it depends on how you use it!
Thanks for sharing about your experience Robin! Have you ever had a child who struggles with using Zones? I wonder how Shanker’s Self-Reg might support this child. Thoughts?
Aviva
As an Indigenous person coming from an Indigenous community, the regulation zones weren’t too appealing. It may or may not have worked for others, however, today I use what we call a medicine wheel in our classroom. It focuses on a persons overall well-being; spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally. I did an activity with my students and they were very interested because it is a reflection of themselves and their own lives.
Thanks for sharing this, Amanda! I would love to hear more about this medicine wheel approach. How might it connect to your learning around Shanker’s Self-Reg.
Aviva
At the school I work at most classes use it as a whole class system not just for one student. I try my best to remind kids it’s okay to feel angry or worried or any of those red zones feelings and then try to work with them to help them figure out why they are felling that way. I dont nessecarily say “hey I see your in the red” I might say oh I notice you might be feeling upset or worried. I try to lable different feeling and sometimes they dont know and they rely on me to be the detecive. I also take into consideration their ability to articulate their feelings so sometimes having that visual is helpful to say hey can you show me which one you might be feeling right now. I think the colour zones can be a great visual tool as long as it’s done through kindness and a genuine place of trying to help and not shame.
Thanks for sharing your experiences, Stephanie! Do you ever have any students that struggle with this approach? How may your learning about Shanker’s Self-Reg support students in these cases? I would love to hear more.
Aviva
I worked with a teacher who used to ask kids how they were feeling on a scale of 1 – 10 every morning. After a little while the kids realized if they said 7 or 10 then they received less judgement. This was always frustrating to me because we had the 4 colour zones on the wall but they were never used. I think it’s important that if using the zones they are taught correctly and should be used compassionately and not as a label. Using a scale as behaviour doesn’t work either to help calm a child. Using Shankar’s self reg we can reframe the behaviour by asking “Why is this child in the red zone?” Zones are a communication tool and we can ask the student how it feels to use the colour zones. We have to remember that misbehaviour might be stress behaviour. When I am with a student who I know feels emotional, I try to use myself as an example on how I am feeling and that it is ok to have good and bad days, where we feel happy or sad etc.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Judi, and your comments around misbehaviour vs stress behaviour! I do love the idea of asking “why.” What if a child is unable to identify what zone they might be in? How might Shanker’s Self-Reg support this child? I would love to hear more.
Aviva
We use the Zones of Regulation a lot in my school – some teachers use them as a daily check in activity, while some use them more as a one-off social / emotional lesson.
After reading this article, I can see, when everyone’s name / picture is placed under a certain Zone up on the wall, how it could be shaming to the child who might be the only one in the undesirable Red Zone (especially if their name / picture is moved there by an adult).
As an EA, when I use the Zones of Regulation, I teach them more as an awareness. We all move through all the Zones, multiple times / day. It’s not right or wrong to be in any of the Zones, and the important thing is to notice how we are feeling, and then decide what we might want to do about it. I might be in the red zone, but rather than hitting or biting, I might choose to take a deep breath, or leave the room. I might be in the green zone, and then I might choose to direct my energy to my catch up work instead of drawing.
Many of the teachers that I have worked with allow their students to move their names / pictures through the zones as often as they want throughout the day. It’s a child-led exercise, as the students become aware and are able to name their own feelings. I am fortunate that I have not worked in a classroom where the adult moves a child’s name as a way to single them out / punish them (shame).
Thanks for sharing about your experience, Adina! Have you ever found that children struggle with this program? I wonder how your understanding of Self-Reg might provide some other options. What do you think?
Aviva
This article highlights how easily we can miss a child’s stress signals when we’re focused on managing behaviour instead of connecting. It reminds us that true regulation comes from safety, empathy, and relationship—not colour charts or control.
Thanks Shelly! I love how you were reminded of this. How might this enter into more conversations in schools? Thoughts?
Aviva
This article highlights that some children and teens live in a constant state of high stress or physiological arousal, which the author refers to as being in the “red.” Their behaviours, often misunderstood as attention-seeking, are actually signals of distress and a need for emotional connection. If we shift from a behaviour management approach to a relational approach, then we shift from controlling to understanding and responding on a deeper level.
Thanks for your comment, Lindsay! I think that this is so important. How might we make this shift? I would love to hear more of your thoughts.
Aviva
Reading through many of these comments has been intriguing to me. Reading about other strategies being implemented instead of the red, yellow, green. I love these expanded ideas as they are more specific to what a student is experiencing; giving us greater feedback to know how to better support and engage. “Red” can so easily be misinterpreted and misunderstood. The red may often be a stress response or a clue that we need to get curious about rather than setting a label. I really loved this learning.
Thanks for your comment, Lacey! Based on what you’ve read and what you’ve learned, what do you see yourself doing instead? I would love to hear more of your thoughts.
Aviva
This article demonstrates that the use of color coded charts are not the best tool when working with children who are trying to speak through behavior. Children need connection, safety, and empathy to feel seen and understood.
Thanks for sharing, Mira! How might your growing understanding of Self-Reg help with this? I would love to hear more.
Aviva
This article talks about coloring coding levels of behaviors in the classroom, I worked in the primary grades for years and the teachers often would use the color coded charts and it would work to some extent but more often there would be some behavioral students who were always in the RED zone. I found that this type of system didn’t work and the ones that had behaviors would always be escalated and I found that this would take away from their learning and the learning of others in the classroom. I love that this course is giving me the understanding and recognizing the different stressors before the behavior starts that day. I think that it is time to start moving away from this type of classroom expectation because it only brings out negative energy.
Thanks for sharing about your experiences and your new thinking, Inez! How might your growing understanding of Self-Reg change your approach? What would it look like now? I would love to hear more.
Aviva
Very thoughtful article to read. what i learned from this article is that color charts are not a best approach for children who are already struggling with their emotions and feelings. children need safety and empathy in their learning process.
Thanks Baljit! How might Self-Reg support this safety and empathy? I would love to hear more of your thoughts.
Aviva
This article to me shows us that our perspective shapes decisions, how you may frame a situation may influence what you see and how you act, and that small shifts can change outcomes, we don’t always need a new strategy, or colors codes, sometimes just asking a different question, or looking at the same situation differently can lead to better results.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Ali! I like your thinking here. Based on your current thoughts, how might you look at responding to behaviour now? I would love to hear your ideas.
Aviva
This article really shows how quickly stress can build on both sides of an interaction, and how important it is for us adults to notice their own state first. I really appreciated the shift away from behaviour management tools like colour systems and toward connection, co-regulation, and relational safety.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Sarmin! Based on your current thinking, how might you look at responding to stress now? I would love to hear more of your thoughts.
Aviva
This reading made me think differently about behaviour systems like “the red zone.” I realized that some children may feel shame or stress instead of support when they are labeled. The story showed me how important calm relationships, listening, and co-regulation are for helping children feel safe and understood.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts here, Sara! Instead of focusing on these zones, how might our knowledge of Self-Reg help? What might this look like in the classroom? I would love to hear more of your thoughts.
Aviva
I really liked this blog because it helped me think differently about behaviour and stress. I never thought about how colour systems like “red zones” could sometimes increase stress for students instead of helping them regulate. It also made me think about calm chairs or calm corners in classrooms. I think these spaces should help students feel safe and supported, not punished or separated from others. The blog reminded me how important empathy, connection, and co-regulation are for helping students feel calm and included.
Such great points here, Yuliia! What are some changes that you might make to your own classroom practices after reading this post? I would love to hear more of your thinking.
Aviva
this reading made me think about the concept of managing to connecting i believe that the most significant shift proposed is moving away from doing things to the child (punishments, color charts) and toward doing things with the child. Cesaroni emphasizes that co-regulation is the foundation: the adult must use their own sense of calm and social connection to lower the student’s state of arousal. As she aptly quotes Dr. Shanker, calm begets calm, whereas an adult’s dysregulation only creates further distress for the child.
Thanks Magali for the comment! What are some examples of co-regulation that you’ve seen before? I’m wondering if sharing some examples helps with co-regulating too. Thoughts?
Aviva
This article signified the pressure that children face in their daily life. By color coding their behaviors into different quadrants, we are still focusing on what is perceived as bad or unfavorable behavior. The color coded system has its positives as it can help children communicate how they are feeling, but it is also reinstating to them if they are acting in a favorable or unfavorable way. If they cannot control their emotions, the “red zone” highlights their troubles and possible failures in their mind.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Nikki! I’m thinking about those students that might be the most dysregulated. Knowing what we know about Self-Reg, do you think they can articulate their thoughts and feelings? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Aviva
In the current module of the Applied Self-Reg for EAs – we have been discussing a lot the idea of self-reg vs. self control. This article really got me thinking about how the tools we use to support child emotions (Zones of Regulation / Little Spot / Inside Out) all acknowledge the emotions and what they bring, but also still place expectations of the children to 1) know/see this in themselves and others and 2) do something about it, or change it.
What also struck me about this article was the questions it posed: When discussing these “colours” how might the child feel? But also, what do these colours now represent?
relating this to personal experience – I grew up with a similar behaviour strategy, and now have an aversion to the colour red. And I didn’t quite think of the connection until now, but I can’t help but feel like my avoidance of red, comes from my desire to avoid the red zone aka ANGER.
Thanks for your comment! This is so interesting. Knowing what you know now about Self-Reg, what might we do instead? I would love to hear more of your thoughts.
Aviva
This was a very interesting read. I have used the emotions colour chart many times, as well as other emotion charts; I have found them to be quite useful tools, especially for some of my minimally speaking/nonverbal kiddos. This has given me a new perspective for students who are speaking and might have more trouble regulating than others. I can totally see now how a child may find this to be degrading or belittling if they only know these to be bad. I feel that to use these appropriately, the child needs a better understanding that this isn’t to show them “how bad they are being” but more to help express feelings and emotions too big to share with words.
Thanks for your comment, Selah! What if the child’s emotions are too complex for them to label? I’m wondering how our understanding of Self-Reg and stressors might be used instead. Thoughts? I would love to hear more.
Aviva
This blog post was initially triggering for me. The whole notion of assigning colors to children who are struggling in an attempt to motivate a change in behavior strips the humanity out of the relationship and presumes that the undesirable behavior is a choice rather than a brain-body response. The reality is that Zones of Regulation and other programs of the like were designed for the children who could not maintain regulation, and to pretend otherwise assigns further stigma and shame to the already-struggling nervous systems of the children living “in the red.” Children who are flipping their lid do not need to be told that they are flipping their lid or that they are “in the red” because they already know! What they need is someone to, without judgement, come alongside them and help to either create or provide an opportunity to regulate.
Obviously, as I read further into the blog post, I, myself, became regulated and and continued to read, with interest, the thoughts of the author. Social-emotional feedback within securely-attached relationships absolutely fosters growth, encourages restoration and develops resilience. Dr. Jody Carrington has said that, when developing the skill of regulation, “chaos is necessary to learn the calm.” As I age and begin to view the world through a more mature lens, I can lean into her thought process in a new way and agree. Dr. Shanker’s Self-Regulation teachings say it, too: “calm begets calm.” We do not need yellow, green, blue and red boxes assigned to vulnerable children already in the low energy/high tension quadrant of Thayer’s Matrix. We need calm. We need regulation. We need sincere connection within secure relationships. We need each other.
Thanks for your comment! You share so much Self-Reg thinking in these words. How do you help support students when they are dysregulated? Knowing what we know about Self-Reg, what might be some good options? I would love to hear more.
Aviva
Stickers, token jars, thermometers, tracking sheets on the wall, homework charts, earning money to buy prizes, PAT time and earning it and likely so many more I have either tried or observed over the years. Laura’s question, “Who then, were these supports really for?”
In Self-Reg we continue to make a distinction between self-regulation and self-control. Those children who are self-regulated naturally have the self-control to meet the requirements for any of those systems mentioned. I would ague they don’t need the system to succeed, they will anyway so its not for them.
“That kid” may be who some systems were set up for but they consistently ‘fail’ – crazy to continue to put them through this so it is not for them.
Classroom management is the guise. But there are other ways to do so. As Laura says, we want to engage and respond to ALL children… so that belonging is the priority. Connecting as human beings WITH kids!!
Relationships matter – a lot!
Thanks Arlene! I completely agree. I love how you’ve shared this perspective here. These kinds of reward systems are still very prevalent in school. What might you say to others to help inspire a change? I would love to hear more.
Aviva