All Things CLASS

I am looking for any and all information on developing either a therapeutic preschool classroom or a space within a center to allow for children in other classrooms to spend time there.

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TaraErickson
WallaceMI
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This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

The Environment: Malaguzzi's "Third Teacher" 

Emotion Regulation Tools 

• Provide visual cues and materials to reinforce emotion regulation strategies 
• Taking a deep breath with long exhale and use tools like pinwheel, breathing sparkles, breathing buddy (improves physical health and self-regulation, might buffer the impact of ACEs)
• Yoga cards with poses (improve behavioral and attention regulation)
• Mindfulness cues like I Spy card, 54321 etc. . . (improves executive function and academic performance)
• Opportunities for patterned, repetitive, rhythmic movement 
• Rocking, swinging, bouncing, drumming, and singing supports bottom-up regulation and brain development
• Sensory toys like playdough, sand, water, etc. . .(sensory play is a form of mindfulness and can be therapeutic, may improve emotion regulation and promote mental health)
• Quiet, slow, relaxing music like "Miserere" by Allegri (improves ability to recover from stress) 
• Offer water every two hours (dehydration can increase aggression and children who have experienced trauma may not be aware of their own thirst)
• Focus on teacher mindfulness and teacher emotion-regulation (decreases in students' challenging behaviors and negative social interactions)--What changes to the classroom environment will reduce the teacher's stress levels? 

Elements of Nature 

• Research,  summary, and classroom examples of biophilic design 
• Nature sounds (improves recovery from stress)
• Nature murals (reduces stress and improves executive function)
• Time outside: be creative, circle time and/or small groups can be held outside on nice days (improves cognitive performance of children with ADHD and adults with depression)  
• Plants in the classroom (decreases cortisol levels and depressive symptoms)
• Animals/running water in the classroom (improves social-emotional skills, may benefit well-being, may improve recovery from stress)
• Encourage caregivers to engage in nature play with their children 

Sensory-Sensitive Environment 

• Clutter is overstimulating, and can impede learning, reduce on-task behavior, and be uncomfortable for students with autism 
• Replacing fluorescent lights with LED lights improves student engagement and may "improve psychological and cognitive processes in the classroom", bright fluorescent lighting can also be painful for students with exceptionalities
• Bright colors and high amounts of color variability can be overwhelming, reduce student's concentration, and reduce sustained developmentally appropriate play
• Give children opportunities to experience quiet/reduce sound, noise can activate the stress response system, impair cognitive performance, and be a trauma reminder  
• Provide comfort areas and access to various textures (may improve regulation and reduce use of coercive strategies like restraint) 

Pretend Play

• Include toys that encourage pretend play. Dramatic play can reduce pain, feelings of depression/anxiety, regulate emotions, and improve coping skills.
• Laugh/be playful and silly when interacting with children in centers. Laughter disengages the sympathetic nervous system and can mitigate the impact of stressful events. Other students who hear the laughter, even if they are not directly involved in the situation, also benefit.

Models to integrate strategies from:

• Attachment, Regulation, and Competency 
• Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports
• Parent/Teacher Child Interaction Training 
• Trust Based Relational Intervention 
• Child Parent Psychotherapy (teaches healing interactions through play)
• The Incredible Years Classroom Management Program 

Original Message:
Sent: 12-01-2022 15:15
From: Tara Erickson
Subject: Therapeutic Prescshool

I am looking for any and all information on developing either a therapeutic preschool classroom or a space within a center to allow for children in other classrooms to spend time there.

------------------------------
TaraErickson
WallaceMI
------------------------------

The resources you gave is very helpful. I really like the thought about dramatic play. A lot of time the children find it very therapeutic and comforting because the can act out feeling without anyone interrupted.

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LatashaBranch
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12-05-2022 15:27
From: Anonymous Member
Subject: Therapeutic Prescshool

This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

The Environment: Malaguzzi's "Third Teacher" 

Emotion Regulation Tools 

• Provide visual cues and materials to reinforce emotion regulation strategies 
• Taking a deep breath with long exhale and use tools like pinwheel, breathing sparkles, breathing buddy (improves physical health and self-regulation, might buffer the impact of ACEs)
• Yoga cards with poses (improve behavioral and attention regulation)
• Mindfulness cues like I Spy card, 54321 etc. . . (improves executive function and academic performance)
• Opportunities for patterned, repetitive, rhythmic movement 
• Rocking, swinging, bouncing, drumming, and singing supports bottom-up regulation and brain development
• Sensory toys like playdough, sand, water, etc. . .(sensory play is a form of mindfulness and can be therapeutic, may improve emotion regulation and promote mental health)
• Quiet, slow, relaxing music like "Miserere" by Allegri (improves ability to recover from stress) 
• Offer water every two hours (dehydration can increase aggression and children who have experienced trauma may not be aware of their own thirst)
• Focus on teacher mindfulness and teacher emotion-regulation (decreases in students' challenging behaviors and negative social interactions)--What changes to the classroom environment will reduce the teacher's stress levels? 

Elements of Nature 

• Research,  summary, and classroom examples of biophilic design 
• Nature sounds (improves recovery from stress)
• Nature murals (reduces stress and improves executive function)
• Time outside: be creative, circle time and/or small groups can be held outside on nice days (improves cognitive performance of children with ADHD and adults with depression)  
• Plants in the classroom (decreases cortisol levels and depressive symptoms)
• Animals/running water in the classroom (improves social-emotional skills, may benefit well-being, may improve recovery from stress)
• Encourage caregivers to engage in nature play with their children 

Sensory-Sensitive Environment 

• Clutter is overstimulating, and can impede learning, reduce on-task behavior, and be uncomfortable for students with autism 
• Replacing fluorescent lights with LED lights improves student engagement and may "improve psychological and cognitive processes in the classroom", bright fluorescent lighting can also be painful for students with exceptionalities
• Bright colors and high amounts of color variability can be overwhelming, reduce student's concentration, and reduce sustained developmentally appropriate play
• Give children opportunities to experience quiet/reduce sound, noise can activate the stress response system, impair cognitive performance, and be a trauma reminder  
• Provide comfort areas and access to various textures (may improve regulation and reduce use of coercive strategies like restraint) 

Pretend Play

• Include toys that encourage pretend play. Dramatic play can reduce pain, feelings of depression/anxiety, regulate emotions, and improve coping skills.
• Laugh/be playful and silly when interacting with children in centers. Laughter disengages the sympathetic nervous system and can mitigate the impact of stressful events. Other students who hear the laughter, even if they are not directly involved in the situation, also benefit.

Models to integrate strategies from:

• Attachment, Regulation, and Competency 
• Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports
• Parent/Teacher Child Interaction Training 
• Trust Based Relational Intervention 
• Child Parent Psychotherapy (teaches healing interactions through play)
• The Incredible Years Classroom Management Program 

Original Message:
Sent: 12-01-2022 15:15
From: Tara Erickson
Subject: Therapeutic Prescshool

I am looking for any and all information on developing either a therapeutic preschool classroom or a space within a center to allow for children in other classrooms to spend time there.

------------------------------
TaraErickson
WallaceMI
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12/1/2022 3:15:00 PM
From: Tara Erickson
Subject: Therapeutic Prescshool

I am looking for any and all information on developing either a therapeutic preschool classroom or a space within a center to allow for children in other classrooms to spend time there.

------------------------------
TaraErickson
WallaceMI
------------------------------