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Shanker Self-Reg™ in the Early Years

Dr. Sonia Mastrangelo, Associate Professor Shanker Self-Reg™ Consultant MEHRIT Centre

November 18th, 2017.

• AssociateProfessor,FacultyofEduca4on,LakeheadUniversityOrillia• Formerspecialeduca4onteacher,DPCDSB• Editor,Interna4onalJournalofHolis4cEarlyLearningandDevelopmenthFps://ijheld.lakeheadu.ca/• MillerMethodtherapistforchildrenontheAu4smSpectrum• Interna4onalclinicalwork(Bahrain,SouthKorea,NZ,Peru,US)• ConsultantwiththeMEHRITCenter(Cer4fiedinFounda4onsofShankerSelf-Reg™)• ConsultantwithCurriculumServicesCanada• MotheroftwoJ

Introduction

• Introduc4on:WhatisStress?• StressorsAcross5Domains• Dis4nguishingBetweenMisbehaviourandStressBehaviourinourchildren• TheFounda4onsofSelf-Regula4on• Dis4nguishingBetweenSelf-ControlandSelf-Regula4on• 5StepsofShankerSelfReg™• Reflec4ngonYourRolesinEC• QandA

Agenda

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• ThinkaboutyourcurrentroleinEarlyChildhood• Whichchildhasbeenstruggling(i.e.thinkabouttransi4ons,behaviour..etc)?• Havetherebeenany“stressful”rela4onshipsforyouastheprofessionalinyourenvironment?

Let’s Make a Mental Note

Your Perspective Matters

1Finger=Agree,2Fingers=Disagree,3Fingers=Unsure• Allchildrencanlearn.• Stressandanxietydon’timpedeourlearning.• The5sensesplayanimportantroleinourlearning.• Childrenshouldhavefunwhentheyarelearning.• Parentsarethechild’sprimaryeducators.• Wherethere’sconfusionthere’slearning.• Wecanlearnfromourmistakes.• Mentalhealthandwell-beingisasimportantasacademicachievement.• Technologyhashelpedtoimprovechildren’ssocialdevelopment.• Childrenshouldbeencouragedtoberisktakers.

Gale(2015)

What Do You Believe?

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What is Stress?

Stress Continued • automa4creac4onthathappensinyourbodywhenthereisa‘perceived’threat.• releaseofchemicals(i.e.adrenaline)sharpensyoursenses,focusesyouraFen4on,quickensbreathing,dilatesbloodvessels,increasesheartrate,andtensesyourmuscles.

• canbeposi4veornega4ve,apparentorhidden,physiological/psychological,internal/external,self-imposedorforceduponus.

Effects of Chronic Stress on Brain

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The Brain and Stress The image cannot be displayed. Your computer may not have enough memory to open the image, or the image may have been corrupted. Restart your computer, and then open the file again. If the red x still appears, you may have to delete the image and then insert it again.

-Initiation -Problem solving -Judgment -Inhibition of behavior -Planning/anticipation -Self-monitoring -Motor planning -Personality/emotions -Awareness of abilities/ limitations -Organization -Attention/concentration -Mental flexibility -Speaking-expressive

language

§  It is the primitive part of your brain.

§  It controls the fight,

flight, or freeze instinct.

§  It is not rational; it is

emotional!

• FIGHT

• FLIGHT• FREEZE• FAINT/COLLAPSE

How Does A Child Respond to Stress?

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Stressors Affecting You §  Personal Life

§  Professional Life

§  Across 5 Domains (biological, social, emotion, cognitive, prosocial)

Stress Performance Connection

New Sleep Guidelines • Infants4-12shouldsleep12-16hoursper24hrs(includingnaps)• Children1to2yearsofageshouldsleep11-14hrsper24hours(includingnaps)• Children3to5yearsofageshouldsleep10-13hrs• Children6to12yearsofageshouldsleep9-12hrs• Teenagers13to18yearsofageshouldsleep8-10hrs• Youngeradults(18-25)shouldsleep7-9hrs• Adults(26-64):shouldsleep7-9hrs• Olderadults(65+):Sleeprangeis7-8hrsReference:AmericanAcademyofSleepMedicine

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• In2006thewordpizzledenteredourlexicon—acombina4onofpuzzledandpissed• Capturedthefeelingpeoplehadwhenthepersontheywerewithwhippedouttheiriphoneandstartedtalkingortex4ng—unfortunatelythishasbecomethenorm• Today’schildrenaregrowingupwheretheyareaFunedmoretomachinesandlesstopeople

Did You Know? Pizzled and Technology

• Socialandemo4onalcircuitryofaperson’sbrainlearnsfromcontactandconversa4onwitheveryoneitencountersoverthecourseofaday—theinterac4onsmoldbraincircuitry• Researchshowsthatchildrenarehavinggreaterdifficultyreadingbehaviourface-to-face• Losingabilitytomaintain/sustainaconversa4on• InTaiwan,KoreaandotherAsiancountries,internetaddic4onisviewedasana4onalhealthcrisiswhichisolatestheyoung

Drawbacks of Excessive Digital Use

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Shanker Self Reg™ Self-Regisapowerfulmethod,developedbyDr.StuartShanker,

forunderstandingstressandmanagingenergyflowtopromoteself-regula4on.

Self-Regulation

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The Thayer Energy-Tension Matrix

States of Arousal

1. Asleep

2. Drowsy

3. Hypo-Alert

4. Calm, Alert &

Focused

5. Hyper-Alert

6. Flooded

• Directlyrelatedtosuccessinlearning,academicperformance,socialinterac4on,andoverallhealth• Restorefeelingsofself-efficacy• Helpsustoeffec4velyengagewithothers• BeFerqualityoflife• Movesusfromsurvivalbraintolearningbrain• Enhancesourwell-being• Build/strengthenourrela4onships• BeFerpredictorofacademicsuccessthanIQ• CorrelateshighlywithlongevityandhappinessHOMEOSTASIS=HAPPINESSJ

Why is Self-Reg Important?

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“Oneofthebiggestchallengeswefaceineduca4onandchildcareisthatacertainamountofstressisnormalandposi4ve.What’simportantisreducingthestressorsthatareNOThelpingthechild.”(Shanker)Weneedtobecome“stressdetec4ves”throughthepowerofobserva4on.

The Challenge

5 Domains of Possible Stressors Noises,crowds,toomuchvisuals4mula4on,notenoughexercise,lackofsleep,junkfood

Strongemo4ons,bothposi4ve(over-excited)&nega4ve(anger,fear)

Difficultyprocessingcertainkindsofinforma4on

Difficultypickinguponsocialcuesorunderstandingeffectofbehaviouronothers

Difficultycopingwithotherpeople’sstress;senseofinjus4ce(misinterpre4ngstressbehaviourasmisbehaviour)

Biological

Emotion

Cognitive

Social

Prosocial

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What Zaps Your Energy ? Dim /bright

lights

Noise /quiet /visual

noise

Being startled

Sugar /salt /junk food Textures

Big emotions

Injustice

Waiting /being late

Non preferred activities

Allergies /pain

Struggling to pay attention

Too hot / cold

Confusion /don’t

understand

Crowds /social

interactions

Hidden Stressors

During a Stress Response Systems Turn….

OFF •  Digestion •  Thinking brain •  Immune system •  Cellular repair •  Muscles in the

middle ear constrict •  Capillaries •  Reproduction

ON •  Adrenaline raises heart

rate, bp and rate of breathing

•  Cortisol metabolizes fat from fatty cells and glucose from the liver

•  Sweat glands open •  Endorphins released •  Hair stands on end •  Energy and reactivity

enhanced

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Signs of Excessive Stress Stress Responses: •  Instantly go from 0 to 10! •  Disproportionate reaction to stressors! •  Volatile reaction– always ready to

attack! •  Hard to calm – once the alarm is

triggered! The body is overwhelmed by stress!

“Our stress thermostats can be easily overloaded. If we first calm our limbic alarm, we can bring the pre-frontal cortex back online.” (Shanker)

Misbehaviour Vs. Stress Behaviour

Stressbehaviouriscausedbytooahighstress-load.➢  ThebigchallengeindoingSelf-Regisfiguringout

whythechild’sstressissohigh.

Misbehaviour

Stress Behaviour

Thekeytomisbehaviouristhatthechildcouldhaveacteddifferently;thatshewasawarethatsheshouldn’thavedonesomething,andwasperfectlycapableofac4ngdifferently. Prefrontal cortex (blue brain) is “running the show”: Thekeytostressbehaviouristhatthechildisnotfullyawareofwhatsheisdoing,orwhy:shehaslimitedcapacitytoactdifferently.Limbic system (red brain) is “running the show”

• Achildwhoischronicallyhyperarousedisgoingtoshowit• Childrendonotlikebeinginthisstateanymorethanwedo!• We’renottryingtochangethebehaviour(wewantchildrentoeventuallydothisforthemselves)• We’retryingtounderstand:Whythischild?Whynow?

Understanding Stress Behaviour

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Self-Reg vs. Self-Control

Self-RegulaMoncomesfirst.ItmakesSelf-Controlpossible.

• Yourabilitytoself-regulateisrootedinbothyourbiologyandenvironment(Shanker)• Asachild,youlearnedtoSRbytheregulatedadultsintheenvironment(co-regula4on)• Calm/EngagedInterac4onsLeadtoCo-Regula4on

How Do We Learn to Self-Regulate?

Still Face Experiment

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Adult Influence on Child’s Regulation

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• Carefulandongoingobserva4on• Beingaco-regulatoryplaypartner• Offeringawidearrayofsupportsintheclassroom• Introducingitaspartofthediscussionforallyoungchildren• Useaninquirybasedmodelforlearning

How YOU can support Co/self-regulation in young children

• PaycloseaFen4ontowhatintereststhechild(whichareaoftheroomdoes(s)heseemtostaythelongestin)• Whattoys/ac4vi4esis(s)heplayingwith?• Isthechildplayingaloneorwithotherchildren?• Isitabusyorquiteareaoftheroom?• No4ceanychangeinthechild’sac4vitylevelas4megoeson?

Observation

• Acknowledgethechild’sidea,preferences,andemo4on• Joininonthechild’splayidea• Usenaturalrichaffect(facialexpression,toneofvoice,gestures)thatmatchesthecontextoftheinterac4on• Establishawell-pacedreciprocalinterac4on

Co-Regulatory Play Partner

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Begin with Micro-Environments

The Shanker Method™: 5 Steps 1 ReadandReframetheBehaviour

2

3

4

5

RecognizetheStressors

ReducetheStress

Reflect:DevelopStressAwareness

Respond:DevelopPersonalStrategiestoPromoteRestora4onandResilience

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Step 1: Reframe the Behaviour

Hit the Pause Button: Why? Why Now?

• Whichdomainsarebeingimpacted?HiddenApparent?

• Dothestressorsconsistently“trip”thechild’slimbicsystem?Inallcontexts?• Usuallybeginswiththebiologicaldomainbutquicklyimpactstheothers• Consider,sleep,diet,exercise,technologyuse,friendships,…etc.

Step 2: Recognize the Stressors

• Involvesturningoffthealarm• Whenthestressresponseisac4vated,ourfirstorderofbusinessistocalmthebrain• Weprovidesafetyandsecuritytohelpthecrisispass• Then-andonlythen-canwehelpthechildtolearn

• SuggesMons:BeginwiththeenvironmentandYOURapproach/interac4on(remainingcalm)

Step 3: Reduce (or Remove) the Stress

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• Showkidswhatstress“lookslike”and“feelslike”(Havethemdrawitout)• Showkidswhatcalmfeelslike• Quietisnotthesameas“calm”• Ischildabletoiden4fycalmwithinhim/herselfandothers?• Foryoungerchildren,teachwhat“calm”feelslikethroughdrama4cplay(puppets,dolls,figurines)

Step 4: Reflect on our Stress Awareness

• Understandthatstrategiestorestoreenergyandcopewithstressorsisuniqueforeachperson• Iden4fytheprac4cesthatarerestora4vetopersonalenergy• Iden4fyexis4ngadap4veandmaladap4vecopingstrategiestorespondtoexcessivestress• Buildyourowntool-boxofself-regstrategies(andhelpanotherdothesame!)topromoterestora4onandresilience

Step 5: Step 5: Respond— Develop Strategies to Promote

Restoration and Resilience

• DeepBreathingTechniques:hFp://www.morethanmedica4on.ca/en/stress_lessons/insiders?parents§ Drawitout§ MusichFps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D8ezH0iXh8• SocialStories:ProblemSolvingElement• GrowthMindset:“ICanProject”• Mo4on:Rocking,walking,dancing,usingswings• Playdough,Colouring,Handsinwarmwater• Watchingacalmingvideo:LivingArtDVDcollec4on(visithFps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIrBecB746c)• Sensorycomfortobjects(visit:hFp://ww1.sensorycomfort.com/)

More Calming Activities

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• Roomtoexpressindividualemo4ons• Roomforquietintrospec4on• Roomforpersonalandcollabora4veproblemsolvingopportuni4es• Roomtothinkdifferently,toimagine,toinventandtryoutdifferentwaysofdoingthings• Roomtodeveloprela4onshipsinourprogramsandhomes!• Alotofco-regula4onatfirst!

How do we NURTURE the Nature of a Child?

Self-Regulation in YOUR environment

CHILD

PARENT ECE

It Begins with the Relational Experiences Among These 3 Key Groups

Self-Regulation in Practice— Moving from………To • Imita4on………………………. Engagement• PeerModeling………………. Authen4c/NaturalFriendships

• Si{ngforlongperiods……… Learning“InMo4on”• WholeGroupSnack/Story… Smallerclustersofchildren

• Structured…………………….. Moreflexible;FollowingtheChild’s Lead;InquiryBasedModel

• Literacy/Numeracysteers….. SelfRegula4onSteersourLearning

ourlearning• Direc4ngParents……………… Facilita4ng/Empoweringthemto

recognizetheirmanygi|s

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Importance of Parenting Style • Parentsplayanintegralroleinthetransi4onfromhometoschool;Homevisits—Let’sBringthemback!• Listencarefullytothenarra4vethatparentsshare—theyo|enprovideuswithclues/insightsastowhythechildmightbeindistress• AuthoritaMve:WarmandResponsive,ClearRules,HighExpecta4ons,Suppor4ve,ValueIndependence• Authoritarian:Unresponsive,StrictRules,HighExpecta4ons,ExpectObedience• Permissive:WarmandResponsive,FeworNoRules,Indulgent,Lenient

The New 4 R’s • RegulaMon—beginswithCo-Regula4onandthenSelf-Regula4on• ReflecMon—wecanteachkidstoreflectthroughques4oning• RelaMonships—s4mulategrowthandlearning;Instudieslookingatmentalhealth,well-being,physiologicalhealth,longevity,happiness—numberonefactorinallthosestudiesrela4onships• Resilience—humancapacitytoface,overcome,bestrengthenedandeventransformedbyadversi4esinlife(abilitytobounceback)

How Does Learning Happen and New Kindergarten Document • HDLH

Well Being (1 of 4 foundations) Well-being addresses the importance of physical and mental health and wellness. It incorporates capacities such as self- care, sense of self, and self-regulation skills. See pgs. 30-36

Kindergarten -Self-regulation and well-being (1 of 4 frames) -their own thinking and feelings, and their recognition of and respect for differences in the thinking and feelings of others; -regulating their emotions, adapting to distractions, and assessing consequences of actions in a way that enables them to engage in learning; -their physical and mental health and wellness. See pgs. 54-62 Am I correcting, directing or connecting?

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• Weallplayanintegralroleinthesocial,emo4onalandcogni4vedevelopmentofthechild• ImportantforUStoremainregulated(ourchildrendependonit)• Understandourownenergy/tensionlevels(sothatwecanstaycalmlyfocusedandalerttoo!)• Wewantkidstobemindfuloftheirself-regulatorystatesandweneedthisforourselvestoo

Self-Reg Begins With ME and Moves to WE

• Acupofteamwork!• Havea“loose”schedule• TeamBuildingExercises(ProfessionalLearningCommuni4esamongParentWorkers)• Considerwri4ngout“casestudies”ofproblema4csitua4ons/challengesandbrainstormpossiblesolu4onsasaT.E.A.M(TogetherEveryoneAchievesMore)• Findanoutletto“rechargeyourbaFeries”• Ongoingcommunica4onandrela4onshipbuildingwithparents• EngageinongoingprofessionaldevelopmentJ

On the Path to Self-Regulation…

Available here: https://self-reg.ca/self-reg-song/

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ASpecialThankstoJenniferSnellandherTeamfororganizingthisevent!

Thank you!

Questions?

A Little Surprise: Co-Regulation in Action! J

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Books by Dr. Stuart Shanker

Mastrangelo,S.(2017).ThepromiseofplayasanintervenMontodevelopself-regulaMoninchildrenontheauMsmspectrum.hFps://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315735290.ch27Becker,K.andMastrangelo,S.(2017).Ontario’sEarlyLearning–KindergartenProgram:ATransformaMveEarlyChildhoodEducaMonIniMaMve.hFp://www.naeyc.org/yc/ar4cle/ontario-early-learning-kindergarten-programMastrangelo,S.(2014).CanSelf-RegulaMonCreateSuccessfulSchoolCommuniMes.hFp://www.self-regula4on.ca/uploads/5/6/2/6/56264915/can_self-regula4on_create_successful_school_communi4es_dr_sonia_mastrangelo.pdf

Mastrangelo,S.(2014).TheValueofDramaMcPlayforChildrenontheAuMsmSpectrum.hFps://www.cpco.on.ca/files/5913/9290/9618/PCwinter2013sneakpeek.pdfShanker,S.Calm,AlertandHappy.hWp://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/shanker.pdf

Shanker,S.SelectedPublica4ons.hFp://self-reg.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Stuart-Shanker-Add4onal-Publica4ons.pdf

References

•  www.self-reg.ca•  GeneralInquiries-info@self-reg.ca•  TwiFer-@Self_RegDr.Mastrangelo-email:smastran@lakeheadu.ca

TwiFer:@DrSMastran

For Further Information:

@Self_Reg www.self-reg.ca