Читать книгу The "Why" Behind Classroom Behaviors, PreK-5 - Jamie Chaves - Страница 11

Throughout this book, we will discuss some concepts related to brain science that will help us to better understand the “why” underneath children’s (and our own) behaviors. One framework that we, the authors, have valued in our personal and professional lives is interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB). We will use this framework as a starting point, but will also integrate other ideas, research, and theories throughout this book. Some of the other frameworks we used as inspiration to the ideas and activities in this book include the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT); Developmental, Individual-Differences, & Relationship-Based Model (DIR); the Neurorelational Framework (NRF); and Ayers Sensory Integration (SI). All of the frameworks we draw on have the theme of supporting brain-based regulation, development, and understanding of behavior through the lens of co-regulating relationships. This means that our brains grow and develop from and through relationships with other people. Through safe co-regulating relationships, we can support the brain development of our students, ultimately allowing for optimal learning environments for all. We aim to give strategies to educators that you can use within your classrooms that are informed by this research.

IPNB is a framework developed by neuropsychiatrist and author Dr. Dan Siegel that serves as a starting point for asking “why” a child is behaving in a certain way and for intervening once the “why” is uncovered. In this book, we will discuss some of the principles of IPNB, and other relational frameworks, and help apply them to the classroom setting.

IPNB posits that human functioning, well-being, and regulation is a product of integration among and within three separate systems.³ This is known as the “triangle of well-being.”

1 The brain/body includes our brain, nervous system, and body functions. If certain aspects of these are not functioning properly then we may see an impact on empathy, insight, resilience, or physical health.

2 Relationships include how we navigate building connections with others as well as how our brain grows through relationships with people in our lives. If we lack the skills to build relationships or do not have safe, trusting relationships with those around us then we may see an impact on communication and social engagement.

3 The mind includes mental processes, thoughts, feelings, and experiences. It is the subjective experience of how we regulate, understand, and organize our physical experiences and our relationships with others. Dr. Seigel describes the mind as “the process that regulates the flow of energy and information.” This flow of information within our bodies and between people actually has the potential to shape and change our minds. He goes on to explain how mindful awareness can help us all live more fulfilling lives, become better teachers, and become more engaged students.

Each of these three systems must be integrated in a way that promotes “linkage” and “differentiation.” “Linkage” refers to the connectedness of areas in our brain, relationships with others, and integration of mental processes. “Differentiation” refers to the unique functions and aspects of our brain, self, and mental processes. In this way, everything has its special role and works together to create something whole. The end result, as Dr. Dan Siegel puts it, is an “integrated brain, empathic relationships, and coherent mind.” If one system is not well integrated, it can result in the feeling of chaos (feeling “out of control” or unstable) or rigidity (being inflexible or controlling). When chaos or rigidity takes over, it becomes difficult to self-regulate, engage in complex thinking, or participate in social activities. Many times, this is what happens with children who are “acting up” or “misbehaving” in school—they are communicating that something is out of balance in their brain, relationships, and/or mind.

Another important aspect of IPNB, as well as other brain-based relational frameworks, explores the organization of the brain and how this relates to our ability to function and engage with the world around us. The brain develops over time and is structured to promote integration, or connectedness. There are many different types of integration, and we will focus on a few in this book. One of the ways integration occurs in the brain is horizontally (i.e., right hemisphere and left hemisphere) and vertically (i.e., top part of the brain and lower part of the brain). Let’s first explore the two hemispheres of the brain—or the “horizontal brain.” The horizontal brain is organized into a right hemisphere and a left hemisphere. Research shows us that each hemisphere is responsible for different functions despite the fact that both hemispheres are in close communication with each other. We need to rely on both hemispheres in order to function in a regulated and integrated way. More research is developed all the time on how interconnected the left and right hemispheres really are and how closely they work together. While this is the case, it is helpful to have a general understanding of the differences between each side of the brain:

 The right hemisphere is traditionally recognized as the creative, imaginative, and intuitive hemisphere.4 It detects and makes sense of emotions. A child who has strong right hemisphere functions and is experiencing less integration with the left hemisphere at a particular moment might need help putting language to his feelings and understanding his emotional states in a more logical and linear way.

 The left hemisphere is traditionally recognized as the logical, linear, verbal, and literal hemisphere. A child who has a strong left hemisphere mode of processing but is experiencing less integration with the right hemisphere at a particular moment may appear rigid or have difficulty discerning nonverbal cues. She is not being intentionally defiant; she just needs help developing flexibility, processing emotions, and doing things “out of order” without becoming overwhelmed.

You may see yourself as being more logical and detail-oriented or as being more connected with your emotion and intuition. Do you find yourself processing information in more of a language-based way, or through more visual, nonverbal means? While we all have certain modes of processing that we rely on, our brains have hopefully developed the ability to function in a well-rounded, regulated, and integrated way throughout most of our days. However, when we enter a situation where we feel stressed or dysregulated, our brain becomes less integrated, and we tend to fall back on a less integrated way of approaching the world—which may be from either a more emotional or a more logical way. In this book, we simplify this concept by referring to certain situations and activities as being more “right-brained” or “left-brained.” We also hope to provide you with information and activities to help build an awareness into when we may fall into moments of chaos and rigidity and how to move through this.

When we have appropriate linkage between the two hemispheres, the brain is considered well integrated. This allows us to step back in highly emotional situations and implement logic, feel what we are feeling, verbally express our feelings, and figure out what steps to take to solve the problem. The integration of the horizontal brain emerges primarily from development and experiences. This means, for example, that in toddlers and younger children, we can expect them to approach situations with a more emotional, “right brained” mode of processing until the flow of information from the logical, linguistic, “left brain” allows for integration.⁴

In addition to the “horizontal” organization of the brain, there is a bottom-to-top organization of the brain—this is called the “vertical” organization of the brain. The vertical brain is a product of our evolution, whereby the lower levels of the brain are more primitive, quicker to process or respond to information, and instinctual, while the higher levels of the brain are developed over time, are slower to process information, and allow us to have conscious control of our bodies and minds. Here are a few examples of vertical brain organization:

 At the lowest level of the brain is the brainstem, which is responsible for our most basic involuntary functions: heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, motor reflexes. Think about a newborn baby who is beginning at the most basic level.

 The next level is comprised of sensorimotor processing, which takes place in the midbrain. Think about an infant’s motor development and sensory exploration through the first year of life.

 Then there is the level of the limbic system, which is responsible for emotional regulation. Think about a toddler who is wrestling with her emotions and trying to gain more self-regulation.

 Finally, there is the level of the cerebral cortex—all of our higher-level thinking, attention, and engagement. Think about a school-age child who is cognitively engaged in learning.

As you look at the vertical organization, you can see that the lower levels of the brain are also responsible for the fight, flight, freeze response (discussed in Chapter 2), memories of sensory experiences (discussed in Chapter 4), strong emotions, and impulsivity (i.e., acting before thinking). The higher levels of the brain are responsible for decision-making, learning new things, problem-solving, self-understanding, insight, empathy, morality, impulse control, and developing regulation.

Children (and adults) must first have their needs met in the lower levels of the brain in order to engage in more complex processes at higher levels of the brain. For example, a child who is hungry cannot complete his multiplication table because his brain is focused on meeting that basic need for food. Once that child eats a snack, he will be much better regulated and engaged in academic demands. A child who is experiencing anxiety cannot use higher-level thinking to “push through” the situation because her brain is communicating fear and threat. After that child is comforted and calm, she can then return to the situation and problem-solve a way forward. In both situations, it is a matter of “can’t,” not “won’t.”⁴