As students walk down the halls at Roblin Elementary School, they can see the glow of soft lights, the sound of quiet music, and the sense of calm permeating from a room that is affectionately called The Zone. Thanks to a group of creative, proactive teachers, a responsive administration team and the funding from a Teachers’ Idea Fund grant from Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning, what was only a hope turned into reality this year. The Zone is a safe place where students at Roblin Elementary School can go in the afternoon to take time to destress from their day-to-day problems and work through their big emotions.
The Zone is a safe, confidential place run by a trained professional with knowledge of social-emotional learning, self-regulation, and trauma-informed practices. It was created using Zones of Regulation from Leah M. Kuypers and research regarding trauma-informed spaces. There are a variety of mindfulness activities students can use to regulate themselves. Students use The Zone for a short amount of time, then return to class ready to learn or feeling what is called “The Green Zone.”
The basis of The Zone is to have students express how they are feeling not by words such as mad, sad etc., but rather by colours. The Zones that students have been taught are the Blue Zone (sad, tired, bored, low energy), the Yellow Zone (worried, anxious, hyper, frustrated), the Red Zone (explosive, out of control, terrified, frantic) and the Green Zone (ready to learn, calm, happy). Research shows that students learn, communicate, and socialize best when in the Green Zone. These are the skills needed for success in school and life. The goal at Roblin Elementary School is to help teach students how important it is to be in the Green Zone.
Students sign themselves into The Zone recording the date, time, and the current zone they are in. They then move on to an activity, such as colouring, play dough, fidgets, snacks, or journalling, to work through the issue that is bothering them. The reasons they may not be in the Green Zone could be an argument at recess, to feeling overwhelmed or ill. After ten minutes, the student can return to class; some students may need more time if they are recently learning to self-regulate. Once their break is over, they record the time and zone they are in. Students learn quickly that this is not a way to avoid problems, but rather, a time to take a break to build coping skills so they can return to class and be productive.
The data collected from The Zone is very promising and has helped us refine The Zone to be impactful. Some of the areas it has had greatest impact are the following:
- 91% of students were reported by teachers to be dysregulated when entering The Zone. 18% of students were reported by teachers to be dysregulated after using The Zone. This is a decrease of 73%.
- 98% of teachers who have students who use The Zone reported it as a useful way for students to learn about regulation and would use it again.
- 61% of students knew which regulation strategies worked best for them before using The Zone. 94% of students know which regulation strategy works best for them after using The Zone. This is an increase of 33%.
- There has been a significant decrease in suspension and office referrals since The Zone.
- When The Zone opened, it took students an average of 18:24 minutes to regulate themselves and return to class. By the beginning of February, it took students an average of 14:17 minutes to regulate and return to class. This is a reduction of 4:07 minutes.
The Zone’s focus was to give students in our building the opportunity to learn about mindfulness, self-regulation, and coping skills that would benefit them throughout their lives. Designing with all in mind helps The Zone be an inclusive space. The Zone has been useful for all, but has been paramount for students on Student Specific Plans (SSP), Indigenous students, connection-seeking students and students who experience increased anxiety and dysregulation. Having a room like this in our building has proven how effective self-regulation spaces with trained personnel can be when working with students and self-regulation. The Zone continues to prove trauma-informed, universal design can benefit all students and reduce the stigma of mental health.