Self-reg & the Wolves of Yellowstone Park

I find analogies and metaphors help me to think about my learning differently and this video about the wolves in Yellowstone Park helped me to consolidate some of my thinking from last week about the difference between self-reg as a process and self-reg as a program. It beautifully illustrates the impact that one change can have, over time, on an entire system. One of the most important points, and this relates to the idea that self-reg is a process not a program, is that the change takes time.  Part of the appeal of one size fits all programs is that they often seem to create quick results but those results are seldom long lasting. A process, like Shanker self-reg, takes time to create impact but the impact is much  longer lasting.  

Another analogy, aside from the wolves in Yellowstone, is the idea of a diet.  I can go on the latest fad crash diet (eat nothing but grapefruit, juice cleanse, etc) and I will lose weight.  But it is not sustainable.  Instead, I have to do the hard work of learning about food, nutriution, diet and exercise so that I can achieve slow, sustainable, healthy weight loss.  And in that model, it shifts so that the goal is no longer weight loss but a healthy lifestyle. Developing a self-reg community in our classroom or our homes takes time, effort and energy; there are no quick fixes.

What is the difference between Shanker Self-Reg and Zones of Regulation?

Many people ask, "What is the difference between Zones of Regulation and Shanker Self-Reg?" While my own understanding of self-regulation is still evolving, my short answer is that Zones of Regulation is a program for teachers to teach students about self-regulation that is based on students having self-control and being able to self-manage - to recognize what 'zone' they are in and respond to move themselves back to a zone where they are calm and able to learn.

Shanker Self-Reg is a reflective process that can be used by anyone at any age. While there are five steps, they are not linear nor cyclical but iterative. In Shanker Self-Reg, we reframe behaviour, our own and that of others, by asking 'why this behaviour and why now?' We co-regulate with others, acting as stress detectives to recognize and reduce stressors so that we can return to a state of calm. Rather than using self-control to regulate behaviour, it is self-regulation that makes self-control possible.

More information on self-regulation and self-control can be found here.

The Self-Reg Institute has a great series of videos on youtube including this one on What is Self-Reg?

For those who are seeking a much more robust explanation about the difference between the two programs, I recommend reading this article by Hopkins, Shanker and Leslie which explains it far better than I can!  Hopkins, S., Shanker, S. & Leslie, R. (2017). Self-regulation, self-control and the practice of self-regulation. Reframed: The Journal of Self-Reg, 1(1), pp. 58 – 75. 

Below, I've adapted a chart from their article which compares the two approaches to self-regulation on a number of factors. 

A comparison of Zones of Regulation® and Shanker Self-Reg®

	Zones of Regulation®	Shanker Self-Reg®
Who	Leah Kuypers (MA Ed, OTR/L, ASD Res.) – 2011	Stuart Shanker (DPhil), The MEHRIT Centre – 2012
What	A systemic, cognitive approach used to teach self-regulation by categorizing all the different ways we feel and states of alertness into four concrete zones.	A method for understanding stress and managing tension and energy; a process rather than a curriculum or a program
Definition of self-regulation	“the ability to do what needs to be done to be in the optimal state for the given situation” A life-long process Successful self-regulation via three critical neurological components: • sensory processing; • executive functioning; • emotional regulation.	“how people manage energy expenditure, recovery, and restoration in order to enhance growth. Effective self-regulation requires learning to recognize and respond to stress in all its many facets, positive as well as negative, hidden as well as overt, minor as well as traumatic or toxic.”
Central Tenets	Aims to teach students how to become more aware and independent in: controlling their emotions and impulses; managing sensory need; improving ability to problem-solve conflicts. In doing so, aims to “teach students to figure out what zone is expected in given circumstances. If their zone doesn’t match the environmental demands and the zones of others around them, you will be teaching strategies to assist in moving to expected zone.”	Involves understanding the triune metaphor of the brain, the stress response system, and learning to manage brain-body energy and tension with these guiding values: Shanker Self-Reg® is a universal platform (not a targeted intervention or behaviour management program); Self-Reg is a process not a program; ALL people are capable of selfregulation, no matter the age, stage, or ability level; Each individual, family, culture, and community holds unique Self-Reg expertise; There is no single set way to do Self-Reg; There are no quick fixes; Self-Reg is a continual and reflective process; Self-Reg is for everyone, it is not just about children and youth; The well-being of children is inseparable from the well-being of critical adults in their lives.
Tools taught and Practiced	Sensory supports Calming techniques Thinking strategies	The Shanker Method® Dynamic System of the 5 Domains
Intended Audience	Two to four students with the same cognitive abilities working with one facilitator or eight to ten students working with two facilitators; from 4 years old at or above average intellect.	Everyone (all ages, cultures, contexts).
Delivery	Anyone (parents/ teachers/occupational therapists [OT]).	Anyone (all ages, cultures, contexts).
How Self-Regulation is Assessed/Tracked	Check-ins (or communication boards) Informal observation of student behaviour More formal observation of student behaviour, including data collection and point sheets	Rubric for Self- Reg Competencies (educators assessing implementation) Rubric for personal Self- Reg (adults) *Further assessment tools in process of being created*
Theoretical Underpinnings/Influences	Cognitive Behaviour Management Central Coherence Theory (Frith, 1989) Systemizing Theory (Baron-Cohen, 2006) Social Thinking (Winner, 2000) The Alert Program (Williams & Shellenberger, 1996) The Incredible 5-Point Scale (Buron & Curtis, 2004) “Phases of control” (Kopp, 1982) Self-management (Dawson & Guare, 2009) SCERTS Model (Prizant, Wetherby, Rubin, Laurent, & Rydell, 2006) Theory of Mind (Frith, 1989) Enactive Mind approach (Klin, Jones, Schultz, & Volkmar, 2003)	The Triune Brain (Maclean, 1990) Child development (Greenspan, 1997) Neuropsychology (Schore, 1994) Psychophysiology (Porges, 2011) Psychology of parenting (Baumrind, 1967) Secondary altriciality (Gould, 1977; Portmann, 1961) Homeostasis / fight-orflight (Cannon, 1932) Dynamic Systems Theory (Fogel, King, & Shanker, 2007) Canalization (Waddington, 1942) Coregulation (Fogel, 1993)
Tools/Resources Available	The Zones of Regulation®: A Curriculum Designed to Foster Self-Regulation and Emotional Control (2011) www.zonesofregulation. com/ The Zones of Regulation® CD, including 35 full-color and black-and-white reproducibles The Zones of Regulation® App Exploring Emotions App	Self-Reg: How to Help Your Child (& You) Break the Stress Cycle & Successfully Engage with Life (2016) Calm, Alert and Learning: Classroom Strategies for Selfregulation (2012) www.self-reg.ca www. selfregulationinstitute. org The Shanker Self- Reg® Tool Kit for EducatorsSelf-Reg Parenting Magazine Consultation for parents and educators Self-Reg eSchool (Parent Portal, Portal Plus, Foundations Courses, Facilitator’s Courses, Master Classes, webinars, workshops, symposium)
Framework/Program Research	Described as “practice based on evidence versus an evidence-based practice” (Retrieved from www.zonesofregulation. com) Two research studies completed and two research studies in progress	Research in progress in five areas: The 5 Domains of Stress Transition Conditions Between Positive & Negative Stressors Reframing Scientific Theories Self-Reg in Practice Review of Self-Reg Measures
Basic Steps of Framework/Program	18 sequenced lessons, 30–60 min./lesson RED: extremely heightened alertness and intense emotions YELLOW: elevated emotions and alertness GREEN: calm alertness and optimal learning BLUE: low state of alertness and down feelings	The Shanker Method™: Reframe the behavior Recognize the stressors (across the five domains) Reduce the stress Reflect: enhance stress awareness Respond: develop personalized strategies to promote resilience and restoration

 From: Hopkins, S., Shanker, S. & Leslie, R. (2017). Self-regulation, self-control and the practice of self-regulation. Reframed: The Journal of Self-Reg, 1(1), pp. 58 – 75.

The Bath-Haters Club

In our self-reg learning journey we've been talking about restorative practices - activities that help us to reduce tension and restore our energy when we are feeling like the tank is getting empty. And, once again, we are focusing on the SELF in self-regulation.  What is restorative for me may not be for you, and what the media tells us is restorative may not be at all.

Popular media portrays taking a bath as relaxing and restorative. Both of my daughters LOVE baths and have ever since they were kids.  They love adding bubbles and bath bombs and lighting candles and dim the lights and have music playing.  It's a whole experience!  But in our online discussion we found that we have a whole group of us, myself included, who have dubbed ourselves the bath-haters club.  One participant said that when she takes a bath, she thinks, "How long do I have to sit in here before I'm relaxed?"

Photo from spabotanicalglendale.com

For some people - relaxation and restoration; for others not so much!

Others felt the same way about massage - instead of feeling relaxed and restored, they felt anxious and uncomfortable and could hardly wait for it to be over.

Photo from inkinsideout.com

Time seems to be one way to gauge whether or not a practice is restorative. If you lose track of time because you are so engaged, so relaxed, so 'in the zone' then likely this is restorative for you.  If you are watching the clock, waiting for the end, then probably not.

As teachers, we want to share a variety of restorative practices with our students so that they can determine what helps them to reduce tension and restore their energy when they feel like they are running low. What works with some students may not work for others, and what works one day may not work another day. A mandatory whole class meditation session every day after recess for every student is not going to be effective any more than if there was a mandatory whole staff meditation session at lunch every day.  Would you look forward to that and find it restorative? Or would you be like the members of the bath-haters club - watching the clock, wondering how much longer and waiting for it to be over?

Instead, we want to provide our students with a variety of strategies and help them to notice when they need to reduce tension and restore energy, and learn how they can do so in a way that is appropriate in the classroom and doesn't deter from the learning of others. For some of our students, being outside at recess is the restorative practice - running, playing, talking with friends, being outside in the fresh air. Other strategies might include sensory bottles, flexible seating, snacks, getting a drink of water, breathing exercises, and stretching/yoga.

Some classrooms I've visited have a self-regulation corner, shelf or area where students can access materials when they need them. We have posters in our classroom that tell our students 'what good readers do' or 'what to do when you're finished you work.' Why not a co-created  poster  with self-reg strategies that can be added to throughout the year? What could this individualized self-reg look like in your classroom?

One last word from the Bath-haters club: