02 THE POWER OF PLAY

This section highlights the importance of sensory regulation and the role it plays in cultivating calmer mindsets.

This week we will delve into the physiology behind cultivating calm and practice some helpful strategies.

02.1 - How Anchors impact Conduct and Learning Behaviour

Anchors are environmental factors that release stress hormones into the body. Over a period of time, these stress hormones turn to cortisol which adversely affects our mental and physical wellbeing.

 

02.2 - The 8 Senses

Contrary to popular belief, recent research has shown that there are 8 senses that make up our sensory systems.

  • Visual-sight

  • Auditory-hearing

  • Tactile-touch

  • Gustatory-taste

  • Olfactory-smell

  • Vestibular-co-ordination, balance and eye movements

  • Proprioception-body awareness, where joints and muscles are

  • Interoception-hunger, breathing and toileting

When these aren’t regulated effectively we can often feel overwhelmed.

 

02.3 - The Projection Zones

If our body language projects danger cues, children will experience stress responses that will adversely affect their learning. This is because danger cues communicate a ‘me against you’ message which shifts the body’s state into defensive mode. If we focus on a problem we release stress hormones into the body which result in stress responses. These factors serve as anchors and pull children away from where they need to be to access learning.

If we focus on communicating safety cues when we collaboratively set learning goals, we send an ‘us against the problem’ message which releases oxytocin and dopamine into the body. This is an inflatable and allows children to access learning because it stimulates the prefrontal cortex that houses executive functioning and skills they needed to learn. Children cannot regulate (swim to the surface) alone and need to be taught to swim (co-regulate) to be able to swim independently (self-regulate).

FOCUS ON YOUR PROJECTION ZONE

Face

  • Is it relaxed and showing kindness? SAFETY CUE (Inflatable)

  • Are you purposefully averting your gaze or frowning? DANGER CUE (Anchor)

Posture

  • Is it relaxed, and are your palms open and visible? SAFETY CUE (Inflatable)

  • Is it rigid and tense? DANGER CUE (Anchor)

    Voice Tone

  • Is your voice tone lower, and your words steadily paced? SAFETY CUE (Inflatable)

  • Is your voice tone higher and words rapidly-paced? DANGER CUE (Anchor)

 

02.4 - Challenge Time

Challenge Time focuses on setting realistic and achievable learning goals which release dopamine into the body. Dopamine improves mood, memory and attention. It also focuses on delivering objective, positive feedback that releases oxytocin into the body, minimising stress.

3 clear, concise instructions

Time-limited

Focused on achieving realistic and achievable learning goals

 

02.5 - Challenge Time Success Criteria

 

FOCUS ON YOUR PROJECTION ZONES

Face

  • Is it relaxed and showing kindness? SAFETY CUE

  • Are you purposefully averting your gaze or frowning? DANGER CUE

Posture

  • Is it relaxed, and are your palms open and visible? SAFETY CUE

  • Is it rigid and tense? DANGER CUE


    Voice Tone

  • Is your voice tone lower, and your words steadily paced? SAFETY CUE

  • Is your voice tone higher and words rapidly-paced? DANGER CUE

02.6 - Challenge Time Script

 

No script.

02.7 - Challenge Time Voice Levels

 

02.8 - Play Challenge Time

 

No script.