Don't Flip Your Lid; How to Recognize and Regulate Out of Control Emotions

In this class:
We will learn that we are made with feelings inside of us. 
We will talk about how some emotions make our bodies feel good; some feelings make our bodies feel bad; some make our bodies feel in between; but that emotions are not good or bad. 
We will learn about two parts of our brain - the thinking part and the feeling part - and how we can't think clearly or make good choices, when we are having big feelings. 
We will talk about what it means to flip out lids. 
We will learn self-regulation tools that children can use to calm themselves and bring their feelings back under control. 

I begin each of my classes with a greeting. During the greeting, each child will introduce themselves to the others in the class, by saying, "My name is ......" They will also be asked to share something, such as their favorite color. Then, the rest of the class will greet them, by saying "Welcome ......." This is a very important part of my classes because it immediately makes every child know that they are an important part of the class. It also sets the foundation for trust and respect within the class.

After our greeting time, we will jump right in with a mix of discussion, group sharing, singing, demonstrations, and opportunities to practice tools and techniques. We will use several different hand exercises to show how our brain works when our emotions are strong versus when they are calm; how to communicate to others how we are feeling; and tools for calming our emotions and bodies when our emotions are high. 

I incorporate a great deal of student interaction in my class and enjoy having the children unmuted so that they are free to share and interact with other students and me. However, if there is a lot of background noise, in the home, or if a child becomes disruptive to our class discussions, I will ask children to mute themselves and then unmute them when they want to share. I prefer physical hand raising, since most children at this age have a hard time using the Zoom hand.

I prefer learners keep their cameras on, due to the nature of this class. However, I also understand that there are many reasons why you or your child may not feel comfortable being on camera. After a quick video check to ensure the learner is a child, your learner is welcome to turn off their camera, if it helps them to feel more secure in the class.

No previous experience or knowledge is necessary for children to take this class. 
Learners will need a piece of paper and something to color with. 
Learners will need ample space to stand up, as well as room to move their arms up, down, and in front of them.