Words allow us to communicate our thoughts and ideas with others, to question, to clarify, to explore, to wonder, to inform, to elaborate. Words can be used for poetry, for debate, for conversations and for arguments. Words have power. As I was scrolling through Twitter this morning, I read the news that Trump has banned the CDC from using seven words in any upcoming briefs for the budget. WHAT???? This must be fake news. But it's not. More and more I am reminded of Orwell's 1984 when I read and hear the news from the USA. In the novel, all the residents of Oceania are to speak "Newspeak." The purpose of Newspeak is to ensure that everything that everyone says aligns with the ideas of the government.
’Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it. Every concept that can ever be needed will be expressed by exactly one word, with its meaning rigidly defined and all its subsidiary meanings rubbed out and forgotten. […] Every year fewer and fewer words, and the range of consciousness always a little smaller. Even now, of course, there’s no reason or excuse for committing thoughtcrime. It’s merely a question of self-discipline, reality-control. But in the end there won’t be any need even for that. […] In fact there will be no thought, as we understand it now. Orthodoxy means not thinking – not needing to think. Orthodoxy is unconsciousness.[ 1984, pp. 45-6]
According to the Washington Post, Trump's seven banned words are:
Why? Why these words? What is is that these words represent that is so repellent that the CDC may no longer use them. Dr. Loren Schechter, director of the Centre for Gender Confirmation surgery at Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago was quoted as saying "I'm not sure what the ultimate rationale is for doing this aside from trying to erase certain types of people off the map," commenting specifically on the ban on the words "transgender" and "diversity." Rep. Don Beyer tweeted that "black women have a maternal mortality rate 300% higher than white women and Hispanics are 50% more likely to die from diabetes than whites. Banning the CDC from discussing diversity isn't just wrong. It's dangerous."
At one point in 1984, Winston understands the how of language control, but not the why. O'Brien explains:
“The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power. […] Power it not a means, it is an end.” [ p. 211]
It will be interesting to see what the response will be to this announcement - from educators, journalists, and those who value free speech. Some tweets so far (#CDC):
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.
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?
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.
