# @edutopia on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/COsqxxIDMVg
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/20303820-edutopia-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/e6f59473a2.jpg
- **Posted:** 2021-05-10T15:45:25.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Edutopia (@edutopia) — https://gondola.cc/edutopia

## Caption

Students who have adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) “have brains that are in a constant state of alarm,” writes Lori Desautels, an assistant professor at Butler University. ⁣
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When these students display volatile behavior that requires intervention, schools and educators should avoid punitive approaches and follow brain-aligned discipline strategies that encourage sustainable behavioral change instead, says Desautels.⁣
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Here are a few ways teachers can use brain-aligned approaches to help curb negative behavior in the classroom: ⁣
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🧠 Educate about the Brain: During morning meetings or class activities, teach students about their neuroanatomy so they understand what is happening in their brains when they become anxious or angry, Desautels suggests. Then help them identify triggers and brainstorm coping strategies, like breathing exercises, to calm their stress response systems, she says. ⁣
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⛅ Create a Safe Space: Consider creating a destressing area in the school or in classrooms for students (and teachers) to go when they need to refocus. Fill it with tactile materials like crayons or tools like a jump rope for releasing energy, and teach students in advance how to use this area to refocus before returning to class, Desautels adds. ⁣
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🧡 Use Non-punitive Consequences: Even with preventive measures, it’s important for teachers to know what to do in common situations that call for discipline, especially for younger students. If a student kicks or hits a peer, give the student a new spot in line or a new learning space. If a student calls another student names or uses inappropriate language, have the student create a book of kind words or try expressing how they feel again using school-friendly vocabulary or pictures. ⁣
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Keep in mind, though, that “there are times when students need to be removed from the classroom and school for aggressive, volatile actions,” says Desautels. “But upon re-entry, we should make a plan of action that begins to address these actions in these brain-aligned ways.” ⁣

#ClassroomManagement #BrainBasedLearning #MentalHealth #TeacherTips

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teachertips, brainbasedlearning, classroommanagement, mentalhealth

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