Module 4
Neuroinformed Strategies in the Classroom
In module three you learned about the reward circuitry in the adolescent brain, and this included an introduction to the role that Dopamine plays in the reward seeking that adolescents pursue. You also learned that overactivity in the reward circuitry can create issues with self- control that impact negatively on the adolescent. That said, teachers can utilise the reward seeking behaviours in a way that is creative and affirming. In module four we are looking at methods of prevention and de-escalation of behaviour challenges in adolescent students through the use of neuroinformed strategies in the classroom. Module four will introduce some strategies known to alter brain networking, moderate behaviour and improve learning.
Creating a Neuroinformed
Classroom Environment
To understand this slide and the identified significant strategies for a peaceful and calm classroom environment three elements of the classroom environment are important to include in every decision you make about introducing neuroinformed strategies into your everyday teaching practice:
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The first and fundamental of element is “social connections”. When you think of social connections think about what you have learned about the ‘social brain’ and the importance of developing positive and creative relationships with your students.
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The second element is that you want your classroom to be a “safe space” regardless of the needs of individual students. This is imperative for all students and teachers. For those students who are neurodivergent, safe spaces may have a different shape to safe spaces for neurotypical students. This is addressed in slide seven.
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The third element is that you are wanting your classroom to be a learning space that is dynamic and creative. You are teaching your students with a view to facilitating higher order thinking for example, thinking, planning, problem solving and organisation, cognitive control and self regulation, theory of mind.
Keeping these features in mind you are also wanting to PREVENT disruption in the classroom. The significant strategies here qualify as both preventative and de-escalatory for example, Cogenerative dialogues (COGENS) ( preventative) Brain breaks (both preventative and de-escalatory) Mindsight techniques (preventative) music (both preventative and de-escalatory) engaged and collaborative use of technology (preventative) Exercise (both preventative and de-escalatory) So let’s commence with prevention strategies.
Cogenerative Dialogues
Image via Limbo Hu, Unsplash
Music
Image via Natalie Cardona, Unsplash
Problem Solving
Image via Createasea, Unsplash
Safe Spaces
Image via Ridwan D.esk, Unsplash
Mindsight
Image via Arno Senoner, Unsplash
Exercise
Image via Mira Kireeva, Unsplash
Brain Breaks - Music + Dancing
Image via Erik Mclean, Unsplash
Prevention Strategies
So, what do we mean by a preventative strategy for challenging behaviour? In the context of a classroom a preventative strategy is a strategy to avert the possibility of a harmful event or behaviour from happening with the intention of avoiding psychological or physical injury (Collins English Dictionary, 2025).
Medina (2018) suggests that the brain’s primary goal is survival. That is, “it (the brain) uses learning in the service of survival” (p.86). Having completed the module one about the arousal systems you will see the fundamental truth in this. Like many other neuroscientists, Medina understands that positive relationships form the basis to this survival. This becomes more and more sophisticated as individuals learn the sensitive art of self-regulation, cognitive control and raised self-awareness.
As a teacher you foster, encourage and shape learning in your students. This requires relationships that cooperate, create, enthuse and share. Remember your arousal systems are primitive, and the aim is survival. Survival depends on healthy relationships. If you were a neanderthal survival meant cooperation in relationships group and individual. This cooperation guaranteed to nourishment, protection against predators and defences to fight or and to facilitate escape.
The following sections provide strategies that can be preventative if consistently used in classrooms along with your own self-awareness about your trigger points. Before going to strategies, it is important to consider ways of facilitating a safe environment that is also a collaborative environment when you have a mix of neurodivergent and neurotypical students in your classroom. Education neuroscience has recognised a succinct and significant link between Vygotsky’s theory regarding the learning process, and brain function demonstrating that “brain neuroplasticity is highly affected by environmental conditions and the balance between demands (challenge) and available resources (support)” (Goldberg, 2022, p. 2)
The Neurodivergent Student
Supporting Social Connection Between Neurodivergent and Neurotypical Students
This section is about supporting effective social inclusion and communication between the neurodivergent student and the neurotypical student.
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What are some basic differences in brain function that you can distinguish between your neurodiverse student and your neurotypical student?
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In the neurotypical adolescent brain, already there is a tendency to misinterpret what is said and to overreact to words or actions of adults in a way that
is highly emotional. -
The neurodivergent adolescent has double the problem with misinterpretation for example, those with ASD often have hypersensitivity to social proximity of others, to touch, and will not understand nonverbal cues in the facial expressions or body tension of your neurotypical adolescents or you as a teacher.
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They may blunder in social engagement with blunt remarks that appear lacking in empathy or inappropriate. They do not lack empathy but find it difficult to understand the nuance of expressions and the rules of social engagement. They may not like eye contact. Social engagement may be stressful for them but they want the contact if only everyone was patient enough to understand how to do it.
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ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders with approximately 7.2% of the worlds children and adolescents presenting with ADHD. In addition to hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity they frequently have similar difficulty establishing and keeping relationships with their peers.
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So, what are some of the neuroscience explanations for these differences that may help you better understand?
Neuroscientists suggest that there are differences between neurotypical and neurodivergent brain anatomy and function for example, a difference in size of the pre-frontal cortex and variations in capacity of modulators “oxytocinergic systems….social bonding…. and dopaminergic systems ….cognitive aspects of empathy” (Fantozzi et al., 2021, p. 2) means that it may be difficult for neurodiverse students to recognise the social cues that are required for bonding with another student or teacher and of understanding the emotional states of others.
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I recommend teachers watch the ABC programs "Austin" and "Patience". Whilst different genres both these series very poignantly highlight some of the different perspectives of neurodiverse individuals and main character roles are actually performed by those diagnosed in reality with ASD.
Strategies for Social Understanding
These are some strategies that have helped develop social and emotional skills and to teach neurodiverse and neurotypical adolescents to understand one another.
Virtual Reality
The use of Virtual Reality (VR) has improved engagement in class for neurodiverse students in the following way:
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It has facilitated building social skills
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It has helped them problem solve
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It has supported mental health and allowed neurotypical students to understand more about the neurodiverse world.
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VR has also been used to teach neurodivergent and neurotypical students how to develop relationships in and outside the classroom.
So what is good about VR?
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Virtual Reality – “offers the highest level of immersion” in an entirely virtual world.
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Some models have been used therapeutically to improve cognitive impairment in ASD children for example, attention, social behaviour, decision making, emotion regulation.
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In education this includes experiential learning, affective learning domains . (see the Cognitive Affective Social Theory of Learning in Digital Environments (CASTLE). See also the SMART Ambience for affective Learning model (SAMAL)
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Depths of VR Model – categorizes and differentiates between the different VR experiences i.e. Perception, Interaction, Immersion and Presence and is more beneficial for neurotypical student.
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Some different products include Head mounted displays (HMD) or Boom mounted displays (BOOMS) = Binocular Omni-orientation monitors- provides an arm for the participant to have greater control over the VR scene.
Note well - Neurodivergent students who experience poor self –regulation, and confusion re: emotional responses are considered to be more appropriately supported by virtual environment(VEs) that is experience oriented VR.
Please Note – VR use, needs to be tailored to the sensitivities of the neurodiverse student and can impact negatively on some neurodivergent participants e.g. some experience vertigo and sensory overload.
Image via stem.T4L, Unsplash
Videogaming
Multiplayer collaborative gaming:
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develops relationships,
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Distances stressors from the student – allows escape
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Have a calming effect.
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Connection through shared interests
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Can be tailored to teach the class subject
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Creates connection through shared interests.
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Develops - turn taking skills, use of appropriate body language and understanding of facial expressions.
Multiplayer collaborative gaming is known to improve Prosody – patterns of stress and intonation in language. Prosody in ASD involves rhythm, pitch and inflection of speech e.g. sometimes flat and monotone regardless of the circumstances. Generally, the response to interaction in this way between the neurodivergent and neurotypical student is a mutual exchange of understanding, non-judgmental awareness and allows neurodivergent students to be freed from emotional reactivity they can’t control.
Allows communication through typed messaging if that is easier for the neurodivergent student.
Role play games: (imaginative interactive video games where participants take on various roles based on a chosen story or scenario)
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Allows for creative expression, develops social skills, adventurous in a safe environment.
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Development of creative fantasy that can be turned into an art form for example, short play, a video clip, prose, a STEM game.
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Some different products include Head mounted displays (HMD) or Boom mounted displays (BOOMS) = Binocular Omni-orientation monitors- provides an arm for the participant to have greater control over the VR scene.
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Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE) = a surround screen projection.- this is a good alternative for groups of users.
Image via Emily Wade, Unsplash
Mindsight Strategies
According to (Goldberg, 2022) mindsight skills are simple to develop and cost effective in a classroom environment. These strategies can be practised first
thing in the class before commencing the subject of the day. Mindsight grows connections between neurons and facilitates neural integration. In particular,
in social and emotional learning of empathy, perspective forming, problem solving and interacting with others .
Developing these skills results in three significant development milestones for the adolescent:
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Reflecting and gaining insight about their minds and what shapes this.
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Reflecting and seeing the mind of others and understanding empathy
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Reflecting and recognising that although individuals and others may think differently, their thinking, and others thinking, are both valid and this is leading you toward integration.
A suggested method of mindsight (mindfulness/meditative) strategy is as follows: (adapted from Siegel (2015) (p47.)
Ask your students to settle at their desks or in a circle. Then instruct them as follows:
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Close your eyes and ask yourself :“what am I feeling right now”
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Ask yourself “where in the body am I feeling this”
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Is there tension in this part of my body, for example, shallow or rapid breathing, tightness in the chest, clenched fists, tightness in my muscles.
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Keep your focus and identify what images come to mind. These can be visual or sound, or memory of touch.
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What emotion am I feeling? Just sit with this emotion for a minute and then
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Open your eyes and take a deep breath, hold your breath for the count of three and then slowly release.
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Ask yourself how am I feeling right now?
Image via Meg, Unsplash
Another mindsight practice in the classroom according to Siegel (2015) (p.51.):
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Look around you and locate an inanimate object for example, a desk, a pen,
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Get half your students up and ask them to walk silently around the classroom. (it’s a good idea to organise this before hand and have a signal for them to get up and circle around the classroom)
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Ask those students still sitting to imagine them as the inanimate object they first focused on. That is, an object without a mental or emotional life in time and space.
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This is your physical sight and it is picked up in the brain with the help of the optic nerve where light and the brain’s interpretation of what it sees is then processed in the occipital lobe (within the cortex)
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Now “turn on your mindsight and look at those same people and imagine what they might be experiencing in their minds” (p. 51).
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Make sure that the other half of the class who were walking around also have a turn at doing this. This is demonstrating and helping to develop 2 things. first,
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Recognition of the strictly physical function of your brain and second, learning to "sense" the mental life of another person. Your interpretation and sense of the mental life of the other person is based on your experiences amongst other things.
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This mindsight activity is helping to make the neural links between experience, thoughts and emotions and is practice for the brain in terms of triggering neuroplasticity and the development of the development of mentalisation (“the ability to understand one’s own and other people’s minds: a form of metacognition” (Siegel, 2020, p. 507). See also the Mindfulness in Schools Program (MiSP) https://mindfulnessinschools.org/
Physical Exercise
There is a relationship between heart function, metabolism, the immune system functions, mental health and cognition with a corresponding deterioration in fitness in adolescents particularly as they move toward the final years of high school (Leahy et al., 2019; Lintang, 2021). Amongst other alterations that occur in the brain, changes in gray and white matter volume of the hippocampus, occur during exercise (the hippocampus is very active during adolescence and is responsible for processing speed, working memory, spatial navigation and abstract reasoning). Lack of exercise impacts on the reward system, cognitive control (reduced executive function) and memory (Leahy et al., 2019). Psychologically poor self-efficacy regarding competence and ability, often underpins poor motivation and commitment to exercise in older or obese adolescents.It is suggested that “lack of physical activity contributes to and exacerbates stress, anxiety and depression in older adolescents” (p.12). And it is suggested that daily vigorous exercise is important (Leahy et al., 2019).
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An exercise program called Burn2Learn (B2L) has been designed to facilitate motivation, generate autonomy, physical fitness, improve behaviour and cognitive control in high school students. This is a self-directed exercise program that requires support outside as well as within school environments. Physical activity interventions also facilitate improved executive function in adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders
Warning: It is advisable to gradually introduce unfit students to vigorous exercise. Expecting them to participate in vigorous exercise when unfit state can overload the hippocampus. It's important to find a balance in physical exercise between overtraining and enough vigorous aerobic exercise.
Image via Andrei Castanha, Unsplash
Music
There is recent neuroscience evidence that music has the potential to involve the reward circuitry to bring about feeling states of pleasure and enjoyment because of strong interconnections between the limbic regions of the brain for example, the amygdala, hippocampus, cingulate cortex, and pre-frontal cortex. These regions are the mediators of emotions (Fasano et al., 2023; Reybrouck & Eerola, 2022). This is not to say that everyone gets pleasure out of the same music. Of course, they don’t. Again, according to Reybrouck et al. (2022) recent findings on white matter (myelinated neurons) connections between auditory sensory processing areas in the brain and the emotional and social processing in the medial pre-frontal cortex suggest that there are differences in listening and appreciating different types of music and this is tied up with external experiences and internal biology.
So what does this mean for your adolescent student?
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You have discovered how important the reward circuitry is to the adolescent so you can take full advantage of these functions to find out all you need to know about your students’ personal tastes in music, in addition to understanding that there are features of some music that have a calming effect and facilitate concentration if played in the background.
Remember there are also individual differences in what music helps concentration. By understanding this you are also improving the recall of pleasurable memories. These memories are known as episodic memories “a collection of information from events that occurred in a subjective experience”(Lemaire, 2019, p. 24)
A warning: music can also recall fearful or unpleasant experiences through (episodic memory). Some music is also known to automatically evoke emotions of sadness. Research with adolescents has demonstrated that learning has been increased when conducted with background music that is “pleasant and moderately arousing” (Lemaire, 2019, p. 24).So, have a discussion with your class (you could achieve this as a topic for a cogenerative dialogues (COGENS) on individual students likes and dislikes and trial some background music until you find one that reflects what Lemaire suggests as providing some stimulation in addition to being pleasant.
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Try the “Mozart effect” that is known to activate the brain after 10 mins of background music with the video on the right.
Image vía Phạm Trần Hoàn Thịnh, Unsplash
Video: The Mozart Effect
Classical Boost. 'Mozart Effect in 432Hz | Heals All Damage of Body and Soul, Melatonin Release, Eliminate Stress 🎶✨'. YouTube, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvlUSCkT360
Neuroinformed Strategies - Cogenerative Dialogues (COGENS)
COGENS and Their Process
Cogenerative dialogues (COGENS) are small intimate and collaborative group dialogues about issues that are pleasurable or stressful to any adolescent student.
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So what is the process occurring in the brain with COGENS? It is suggested that neuroception is initiated provided rules are clear and hierarchical imbalance is eliminated. Neuroception is the neural process posited in Polyvagal theory by Stephen Porges indicating that social behaviours arise in response to constant evaluations made by humans to gauge the existence of positive or threatening events in social situations. PVT describes the physiological responses as flight/fight /freeze or /faint responses to perceived threats in social engagement (Siegel, 2020).
It is suggested by Henderson et al., (2020) that alongside COGENS, to monitor the effectiveness of classroom dynamics it is wise to take multi-level approaches to gauging students and teachers' responses to stress e.g. heart rate monitoring. This is also an intrinsic part of the Neurosequential Model of Education (NME) (Perry, 2020). COGENS are forums set in a safe environment that is free of power imbalances between teachers and students, providing opportunities to share experiences and dialogue regarding emotional and behavioural challenges. COGENS influence brain function through promotion of social connection, cognitive engagement and improvement in student teacher relationships. If effectively implemented, COGENS influence Neuroception. COGENS allow discussion and sharing outside inflexible curriculum structures. Don’t be afraid to make COGENS an integral part of your curriculum and this will achieve 2 things. First, it will empower your students to discuss openly things that may be difficult and second, it gives an opportunity to dialogue about the subject matter in an arena that is non-judgmental, fair and supports rules of listening, turn taking and non-hierarchical management.
Using COGENS to Regulate Emotions
To achieve these positive features of dialogue adherence to rules
are of utmost importance and COGENS have been known to fail
without the following rules:
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The absence of the traditional teacher student power imbalance is related to the newly defined roles that identify that each participant is” institutionally and psychologically different but equal for the purpose of making sense of their own practices” Stith and Roth (2010) (p. 363.)
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Equal positions of power must not be breached
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Each person has equal turns and times to talk
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Each person shows respect and listens attentively to others
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Each person enters the room with a plan to address issues that are generated with the fundamental purpose of improving practices in the classroom; however, there is a tacit rule that every individual will not feel pressured to engage.
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Those who are unwilling to participate can withdraw without penalty and maintaining the ethics of privacy and confidentiality outside the COGENS environment.
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For COGENS to work effectively all participants willingly agree to participate.
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Rules must be followed without any exertion of authority over compliance.
COGENS in Education
COGENS have been used primarily in Project based learning to facilitate judgment free dialogue and problem solving in STEM subjects. Recent use of COGENS to regulate emotions in students has been successful. COGENS function with specific rules that uphold principles of fairness, confidentiality and withholding judgment to participate and provides opportunities for teachers to learn about their students from their students. COGENS fulfill a role for teachers as mediators. COGENS impose a completely new way of engaging in the class and the most difficult aspect for teachers is freedom from traditional power structures i.e. a power free dynamic creating equality between teacher and students.
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Ethical issues:
Stith and Roth (2010) emphasize that each human being is part of a collective whole and therefore is responsible to treat each and every individual as they would themselves that is because self and others cannot be separated from what it means to be human in a collective whole.
Stith and Roth (2010) note “the classroom is composed of countless overlapping activity systems that must be negotiated with the teacher as mediator” (p.365.) .
A Mediator is a role to facilitate discussions between parties where there is conflicting perspectives in order to negotiate a resolution to any disputes that arise from these conflicts. A mediator while needing to be impartial will never be neutral hence the role is suited to facilitating COGENS without power imbalance.
Some excellent References on COGENS in education:
Baek et al., (2024) “A Comprehensive Review of Cogenerative Dialogue in Science Education: Research Trends from 2001 to 2022 and Implications for the Korean Science Education Context”
https://10.1163/23641177-bja10074
Boss, G.J. & Lind, C. (2016 ) “Navigating the Use of Cogenerative Dialogues: Practical Considerations for Graduate Faculty”
Henderson et al., (2020) “Using cogenerative dialogue to address heightened emotions with difficult students”
https://10.1007/s11422-019-09948-5
Hsu, P. (2022) “Regulating Emotions through Cogenerative Dialogues to Sustain Student Engagement in Science Internships: A Case Study”
https://10.1007/s11422-019-09948-5
Liciano, B. J. (2017) “Developing adaptive teaching practices through participation in cogenerative dialogues”
https://10.1016/j.tate.2017.01.007
Shady, A. (2014) “Negotiating cultural differences in urban science education: an overview of teacher’s first-hand experience reflection of cogen journey”
https://10.1007/s11422-013-9486-7
Stith, I. & Roth, W. (2010) “Teaching as mediation: The cogenerative dialogue and ethical understandings”
Brain Breaks
Brain breaks are brief breaks from learning that incorporate leaving the desk and the subject material to move freely or to focus on things other than subject materials. This can be physical movement on its own; mindfulness activities or dance accompanied by music. Brain breaks are known to improve concentration. They can be a de-escalating strategy when you observe restlessness, mind wandering or escalating negative behaviour in the classroom. As a de-escalation technique they relieve the stress of anxiety invoking a parasympathetic response through physical activity or mindfulness. You need to have a sense of whether physical activity is more appropriate, and you may certainly utilise physical brain breaks if students in your class were restless, provoking irritation in other students or bored. Research has suggested that following periods of physical activity, students are able to pay attention and to concentrate on tasks. Improvement in executive functions and academic achievement occur over time if consistently using brain breaks (Egger et al., 2019). Technology supported brain breaks are very useful to apply in classrooms and can be quick, quirky and fun to apply. See the example on the right.
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The berry street education model (Berry Street, 2020) includes straightforward information on brain breaks. Dancing to familiar music as a brain break improves cognition mainly because it relieves stress. Dancing more than physical activity, may increase volume in more areas of the brain improving self-regulation and working memory.
A final point about brain breaks is this:
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Don’t repeat the same brain breaks, diversify them.
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Choose when to apply brain breaks. This cant be rigid but relies on what you observe happening in the classroom.
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Don’t be hesitant about introducing a brain break regardless of knowing that some students are concentrating and attending. That is, when the signs of an escalation in disruptive behaviour are there, brain breaks can facilitate de-escalation.
Video: Ideas for Brain Breaks
Edutopia, '9 Brain Breaks Teens Will Love'. YouTube, 2024. https://youtu.be/HBjMEVbnZ4E?si=rlFPRDywx_jSkFlV
A Day in a Neuroinformed Classroom
The Classroom Environment
Your classroom is not a standard regimented classroom. It is flexible, inclusive and sensory sensitive. You may have an annexed corner devoted to neurodivergent students who need to remove themselves from an overstimulated environment. You have tables instead of desks and each table accommodates approximately six students. This allows you space between tables for brain breaks and tables are a viable source for the development of COGENS. You may also have meditation and technology spaces that accommodate limited numbers of students at a time. You may have lights that can be dimmed for those who have sensory reactions to lights. Rules in the negative are visible on the wall. “No teasing” “No shouting” “No criticising” “No swearing” “No hitting or kicking” etc.,
Structuring the School Day
According to the Nurtured Heart Approach (NHA) the rules in the negative are short, to the point and the only time you use the negative.
Delegate students to their tables until they are ready to follow the rules for COGENS.
Commence the day/class – with a mindsight exercise or a brief peaceful meditation either breathing or music. These need only be approximately 10 minutes. Complete the exercise with gentle breathing. (see the slide on mindsight exercises). Your students are ready to start their day. Alternate mindsight exercises with singing or involve your music teacher in a weekly or fortnightly engagement with your students to teach them a song. Encourage your students to compose a song unique to your class.
The mid-morning break -Suggest that your students do 5 minutes of aerobic exercise during their break. Less vigorous if they are unfit.
·In observing your class, you notice one student who is tapping their pencil and their foot. There is another student teasing someone at their table. Identify your rule “No teasing” and turn on soothing background music. (Try Iceland Symphony Orchestra Mozart, Clarinet concerto in A major, K.622 - see below)
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Notice how long it takes the students to settle. Write into a journal how long it takes for students to settle. (As students gain greater autonomy in class, the journal can become a task for the students to carry out).
After the lunch break – introduce a subject problem to be solved using the COGENS method. You can start with the established tables of students and eventually when students engage with the COGENS process, they can delegate table selections to fit with the topic. Your COGENS will be used in this manner to address social and emotional learning topics as well.
Mid afternoon - you observe students are restless and some are looking bored. Give them a brain break. Make a judgment about whether this will be physical exercise or PA with music or dancing with music. Make sure you vary this.
Teach your students self awareness and observation skills by allowing them times to be observers in class
Video: Example for background music in a neuroinformed classroom
Iceland Symphony Orchestra. 'Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622'. YouTube, 2016. https://youtu.be/YT_63UntRJE?si=pHp2fp62-O_J0Ke7
Mindsight
Image via Arno Senoner, Unsplash
Cogenerative Dialogues
Image via Limbo Hu, Unsplash
Creative Collaboration + Engagement
Image via Createasea, Unsplash
Background Music
Image via Natalie Cardona, Unsplash
Brain Breaks - Music + Dancing
Image via Erik Mclean, Unsplash
Exercise
Image via Mira Kireeva, Unsplash
Extra Tips:
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An alternative to using COGENS is to use videos, films or collaborative gaming to resolve problems collectively.
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Monitor changes and journalise them daily. Train your students to do this.
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Provide your students with increasing autonomy having trialled your strategies.
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Don’t forget to take every opportunity every hour you are with your students to acknowledge and praise their efforts.
Safe Spaces
Image via Ridwan D.esk, Unsplash
Congratulations! You are moving toward developing positive relationships with your students and this will alter neural pathways to facilitate learning and to manage challenging behaviour.
Prevention, De-Escalation, or Crisis Intervention
Prevention
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Understand your students' histories
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Develop positive relationships
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Introducing routine preventative strategies
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Look for every opportunity to praise their efforts no matter how small.
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Know your student’s flashpoints
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Observe behaviour changes
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Observe physical signs
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Remove the stressor
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if you can’t remove the stressor provide an outlet for the stressed student
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Have mentors in your class for extremely challenging students. (the mentor will have firsthand knowledge of what strategies may best help for this student for example, taking them to the sports field to run until the reactivity passes)
De-Escalation
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Know your student’s flashpoints
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Speak quietly- stand to the side
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Do not touch the student
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Stay calm
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Apply school emergency strategies
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Remove others from harm
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Remove self from harm where necessary
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Send a student for help
Crisis Intervention
Module 5 will address crisis intervention where students exhibit extreme challenging behaviour and crisis intervention is required.
To commence the journey in module five look at these two images that reflect:
De-escalation - a ball of lightning for which its centre is taking all the energy-Ball lightning is believed to be powered by the ionized air left behind by a lightning strike. As these charged particles disperse, the ball of lightning loses its energy and fades away. This can take seconds or minutes. A ball of lightning typically loses its power and dissipates when its source of energy (charged particles in the atmosphere) is depleted or it encounters an object that can absorb or discharge the electricity. Think of the ball of lightning as the ideal de-escalation analogy. It takes sharp observation and an intuitive feel for the buildup that may be happening with a student. This might be tapping a foot or hand on the desk, rapid breathing, sweating, twitching, talking too loudly, making humming noises, teasing or being teased by other students, swearing, getting up and shouting.
Get in touch with your own body reactions and become attuned to recognising signs of stress in yourself and your students a long time before they are even aware.
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First, remove the stressor. This takes knowledge of the individual student and what helps them calm down.
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If you can’t remove the stressor remove the student from the stressor
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Facilitate the dissipation through an appropriate activity.
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Strategies may include:
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Verbal - speaking quietly and empathically (be brief) active listening, reflective feedback.
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Assure the student that this will pass quickly
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Physical - Offering the student a chance to run off their anxiety around the playing field (they may need a mentor to accompany them)
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A neurodiverse student may need to go to a sensory room and chill.
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Play soothing background music,
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Provide Sensory objects that divert energy.
Remember this: The sympathetic nervous system is designed for a rapid response to perceived threats and the parasympathetic is about bringing things back to a calm state. This may take longer with a student who has experienced prolonged stress or trauma and this has to be considered. The erupting volcano is too late to de-escalate. Intervention is required. (see module 5)
Image via Micah Tindell, Unsplash
Image via Toby Elliott, Unsplash
Module 4 Conclusion
Things to remember:
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Apply Prevention strategies in every class
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Make your classroom a safe and creative space
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Develop trusting and positive relationships with your students
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Know your students’ histories
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Observe changes in classroom environment - restlessness, boredom, shuffling, sighing.
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Observe changes in body language, tone of voice, tension in body, uncharacteristic or insensitive behaviours
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Observe behaviour change in individuals and apply de-escalation strategies
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Don’t wait for the eruption that means a student is in crisis.
REFERENCES
Collins English Dictionary. (2025). Synonyms of 'prevent' in British English. Harper Collins Publishers. https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english-thesaurus/prevent#prevent__1E
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