Читать книгу The "Why" Behind Classroom Behaviors, PreK-5 - Jamie Chaves - Страница 12

Our brain is organized vertically, from bottom to top, whereby the complexity increases as you move up. The needs of the lower levels of the brain have to be established before skills in the higher levels of the brain can develop. Co-regulating, safe, consistent, and secure relationships are an important part of this process, every step of the way.

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As we mentioned above, science has shown that the brain is “plastic” or has “neuroplasticity,” which means that the brain can be changed through rewiring the neurological system.^5,6 This indicates that the brain actually learns to respond to different situations, tasks, and activities through experience and repeated exposure. Eventually, through a lot of practice, the brain translates this into an automatic response. For example, when we learn to tie our shoes, we must concentrate on the task and practice it the same way over and over before the brain learns the specific motor pattern. After a while, we don’t even have to think about how to tie our shoes, and we can do it with our eyes closed. However, if someone taught us a different way to tie our shoes, we would be teaching the brain a new motor pattern that requires more conscious thought and rewiring of the neurons being fired.

This concept is true for our emotional responses as well. If a child repeatedly has negative emotional experiences when completing math computations, then the brain will start to wire in a way that signals distress when any type of math problem is presented. If the child can remain regulated while facing the challenges of math computations, through positive co-regulating relationships with those around him, by using mindfulness strategies, and by skill-building, his brain will start to wire in a way that no longer triggers a stress response.

As you can see, the integration between the horizontal (right and left) and vertical (top and bottom) parts of the brain is critical. This integration happens slowly as a child develops and is a result of the experiences and relationships she has throughout her life. The need for an integrated brain to promote regulation is true for every child regardless of his or her learning needs. When children are regulated, they can be curious, engaged, focused, and responsive. When a child is not regulated, we as parents, educators, and clinicians need to look a little deeper, try to figure out where disintegration is occurring, and better understand “why” they are having difficulty regulating. We will continue to unfold these concepts throughout the book.

Oftentimes, children need someone to co-regulate with—someone to come alongside them and say, “I understand you’re having a hard time. Let’s figure it out together.” However, the response often heard by the child is, “You’re giving me a hard time. You need to do what I tell you.” Co-regulation requires a positive relationship with that child—someone she can feel safe with and trust. Co-regulation and safe relationships are where the heart of teaching lies. This is where regulation is developed. This is where learning begins. By identifying brain-based responses to common triggers in the classroom setting, we can use what we know about the brain and relationships to identify ways to help each student and teacher fulfill his or her full potential. These concepts are explored more in depth in Chapter 2.

Co-regulation: attuned and responsive interactions between child and adult that allow them to reach a state of regulation together.