Course Content

Understanding the Escalation Cycle: Supporting Regulation

This course explores the stages of the escalation cycle and offers inclusive, compassionate strategies to support students through stress, dysregulation, and crisis moments. Participants will learn how to recognize early signs of escalation, design environments that prevent triggers, and respond effectively during peak and recovery phases. The course emphasizes co-regulation, emotional safety, and relational repair as foundations for long-term change. Through narrative case studies and practical tools, educators will build capacity to support all learners, especially those most impacted by trauma, anxiety, or unmet needs, within safe and connected school environments.

This course blends storytelling with practical learning. As you move through the course, you will alternate between reading your chosen story and engaging in Learning Interludes that deepen your understanding of inclusive education.

To view the course content, click on each section header below. This will reveal the readings and materials for that part of the course.

How the Course Flows

The course follows a consistent sequence:
Prologue → Learning Interlude 1 → Chapter 1 → Learning Interlude 2 → Chapter 2 → Learning Interlude 3 → Chapter 3 → Learning Interlude 4 → Chapter 4 → Learning Interlude 5 → Epilogue → Learning Interlude 6

Each chapter of your story highlights key ideas in action. After each chapter, you will complete a Learning Interlude that unpacks those ideas through guided content, tools, and activities.

What’s in a Learning Interlude?

Each Learning Interlude contains three Learning Links. A Learning Link is a short, focused learning unit that includes:

A short video explaining an essential concept.
A follow-up activity to help you apply what you have learned.

After each Learning Link, you will find both individual and group activities. Choose the activities that are most meaningful and relevant to your role, goals, and context. There is no requirement to complete them all.

If you are facilitating this course for a group, Facilitator Notes are included at the beginning of each Learning Interlude. These provide guidance, timing suggestions, and tips for leading group discussions and activities.

You will also find:

Printable tools and templates to support your planning.
Reflection prompts to help connect new ideas to your own practice.

These interludes help you make sense of what you have read and offer practical strategies you can use right away, whether you are learning individually or with a group.

▶ Inside the Story: Prologue

Inside the Story: Prologue

As you move through this course, we encourage you to return to the story you selected during the “Inside the Story” sections. Each chapter aligns with the learning interludes and offers a vivid, contextualized look at inclusive design in action. Feel free to explore additional stories if you're curious how the same principles play out in different contexts. Short overviews of the chapter are included here to help you discern if you want to explore other stories.

Meeting Marcus

Prologue: First Signs ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

The first week of school feels like a blur. Marcus arrives late on Tuesday, head down, hoodie up. He nods but does not speak. Ms. Hariri marks him present, curious but not alarmed. A few days later, she notices a pattern. Marcus goes silent just before transitions, lingers in the hallway during group work, and sometimes stiffens when classmates laugh nearby. Then, on Friday, a sharp noise in the hallway causes him to flinch. He slams his locker and walks out the side door without a word. That evening, Ms. Hariri writes in her notes, “Something’s going on beneath the surface. Don’t assume defiance. Watch closer.”

Under the Surface

Prologue: The Quiet Storm ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Ariana never speaks at school. Her file notes selective mutism, but Mr. Leblanc has not seen it as a problem. She is polite, completes her work, and stays out of trouble. One day, during a reading activity, he gently asks, “Would you like to try reading the first line?” Ariana’s eyes widen. Her breathing changes. She shakes her head, then bursts into quiet sobs, crouching under the table. The class freezes. Mr. Leblanc kneels nearby. “You’re safe. We’ll figure this out together.” That night, he journals: I think I have misunderstood what anxiety looks like.

Break Time, Boiling Point

Prologue: Recess Revolves Around Risk ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

The bell rings and Jaden bolts back into the building, shoulders tense and breath fast. "I hate recess!” he mutters. Ms. Samuels tries to redirect, but he snaps at her. Other students watch warily. Later, in the staff room, she confides, “It’s like the moment he hits the hallway, we’re already behind.” The team begins to wonder. What’s really happening during this transition?

Patterns and Promises

Prologue: Mistrust in the Room ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Terrell leans against the back wall during math class, hoodie up, arms crossed.
When the teacher asks him a question, he shrugs and walks out. No drama, no shouting, just absence. The principal, Ms. Jacobson, nods slowly when staff bring it up. “He’s been taught school isn’t safe,” she says. “Our job is to prove otherwise.”

Every Little Thing

Prologue: Too Much, Too Fast ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

The bell rings five minutes early. Ms. Clarke claps for attention, but before she finishes her sentence, Tiana is under the table crying, fingers in her ears. Later that day, a custodian knocks unexpectedly to fix a ceiling tile. The ladder clanks. Tiana screams and bolts to the corner. Ms. Clarke sits down after school, weary. “Every little thing,” she sighs, “sets her off.” But then she wonders. What if those little things are just too big for one little nervous system?

It’s Not Just the Student

Prologue: The Day Everything Felt Too Loud ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

The pencil sharpener screeches again. Two students bicker in the corner. A chair tips, laughter bursts, and Ms. Johal’s voice cuts through. Sharp, loud, and out of character: “Enough! Sit down. I can't do this today.” The room freezes. One child begins to cry. At recess, Ms. Johal leans on her desk, ashamed. She didn’t mean to yell. But in that moment, her stress won. She whispers, “This isn’t who I want to be.”

Ripple Effects

Prologue: The Cafeteria Incident ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

It starts with a spilled tray and a shove. Then a punch. By the time Mr. Neufeld arrives, the scene is chaos. Two students restrained. Staff yelling. Students crying. Later, in his office, Mr. Neufeld replays the footage. It is hard to watch. Not because of the fight, but because of the fear on every face. He closes his laptop. “We can’t keep doing this,” he says aloud.

Bridging the Gaps

Prologue: Another Referral, Same Pattern ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Tanya reads the referral on her phone as she pulls into the parking lot.
“Student highly escalated. Physical aggression. Team unsure what triggered it.” She sighs. This is the third call this week. Each one follows the same pattern. No regulation plan. No early intervention. Support called in after crisis. She jots a note to herself before stepping out. “What if we didn’t wait until it’s too late?”

▶ Learning Interlude 1: Understanding the Escalation Cycle

Learning Interlude 1: Understanding the Escalation Cycle

Occurs After Prologue → Before Chapter 1

Module Name: Foundations of Inclusive Response

📎 Facilitator Notes (📄PDF)

🌟 Success Criteria

I can describe the stages of the escalation cycle and how they show up in real classrooms.
I can explain the difference between stress behavior and intentional misbehavior.
I can identify early signs that a student is moving into escalation.

🎬 Learning Link 1: What Is the Escalation Cycle?

Power Point Slides (📄PDF)

📝 Individual Learning Activity 1 (Choose 1 or More)

Cycle Sorting Activity (📄PDF): Sort common student behaviors into the different stages of the escalation cycle.
Behavior or Stress? Reflection (📄PDF): Reflect on past incidents and determine whether the behavior may have been stress-related or intentional.
My Current Understanding Journal (📄PDF): Write or sketch your current understanding of student escalation and how it’s shaped by your experience.

🤝 Group Learning Activity 1 (Choose 1 or More)

Cycle Stage Scenarios (📄PDF): Work in small groups to match classroom scenarios to different stages of the escalation cycle.
Shared Definitions Anchor Chart (📄PDF): Create a common visual for staff use defining key terms like stress behavior, misbehavior, and escalation.
Professional Learning Dialogue (📄PDF): Engage in structured discussion on how different roles (teachers, EAs, admin) view and respond to student escalation.

🎬 Learning Link 2: Why Do Students Escalate?

Power Point Slides (📄PDF)

📝 Individual Learning Activity 2 (Choose 1 or More)

Unmet Needs Reflection (📄PDF): Consider how unmet sensory, emotional, or physiological needs may lead to escalation.
Stress Behavior Story Mapping (📄PDF): Map a student’s escalation cycle across one day or week to identify patterns.
Personal Triggers Awareness Sheet (📄PDF): Reflect on how your own stress or assumptions may impact student escalation.

🤝 Group Learning Activity 2 (Choose 1 or More)

Root Cause Protocol (📄PDF): Collaboratively explore a real or fictional student profile and identify potential root causes of escalation.
Stressors in Our Setting Audit (📄PDF): As a team, identify environmental or systemic stressors that might contribute to dysregulation.
Empathy Circle (📄PDF): Use a listening protocol to build shared understanding of students’ lived realities and stress responses.

🎬 Learning Link 3: Prevention Starts With Prediction

Power Point Slides (📄PDF)

📝 Individual Learning Activity 3 (Choose 1 or More)

Predict and Prevent Journal (📄PDF): Identify one student you work with and note signs you can use to predict escalation.
Classroom Patterns Tracker (📄PDF): Track when and where escalation tends to occur in your setting.
Early Signs Self-Scan (📄PDF): Reflect on whether you currently recognize and respond to early signs of agitation.

🤝 Group Learning Activity 3 (Choose 1 or More)

Escalation Map Gallery Walk (📄PDF): Create and share visual maps of the escalation cycle as it shows up in your school.
Predictive Planning Protocol (📄PDF): Collaboratively plan prevention strategies using sample student profiles.
Circle of Safety Discussion (📄PDF): Reflect on how staff behavior during early escalation stages can support or hinder student regulation.

🧰 Tools & Templates:

Escalation Cycle Diagram (📄PDF): A clear overview of the seven stages with example behaviors.
Stress Behavior vs. Misbehavior Checklist (📄PDF): A guide to support accurate interpretation of student actions.
Early Warning Signs Planner (📄PDF): A tracking tool for identifying and responding to student-specific cues.

📚 Reference List (📄PDF)

Includes foundational resources on the escalation cycle, stress and trauma-informed education, co-regulation theory, and inclusive practices in behavior support.

▶ Inside the Story: Chapter 1

Inside the Story: Chapter 1

Meeting Marcus

Chapter 1: Triggers and Tensions ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

On Monday, the class returns from an assembly. The hallway is buzzing with noise, and someone bumps into Marcus. He freezes, then storms past Ms. Hariri, refusing to enter. She approaches slowly, gives space, and says quietly, “You don’t have to come in yet. But I’m here when you’re ready.” That night, she reviews her notes and past records. Patterns emerge. Marcus reacts strongly to loud environments, unpredictable transitions, and teasing from peers, especially if it feels personal. She starts tracking these environmental stressors, realizing they are not just Marcus’s problem. They are design issues.

Under the Surface

Chapter 1: Building Emotional Safety ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

After researching more on selective mutism and trauma-informed practices, Mr. Leblanc begins noticing Ariana’s patterns. Frozen posture when routines shift, tightly held pencils, darting eyes during noisy transitions. He rethinks his routines. A visual schedule now anchors the day. Tasks are offered with nonverbal options such as draw, point, circle, or signal. He also makes space for quiet creativity, including drawing prompts, feelings charts, and journaling without expectations of voice. Slowly, Ariana’s gaze lifts when he approaches. She begins leaving small sketches on his desk. One shows a fox hiding behind tall grass. He wonders if that is how she feels here.

Break Time, Boiling Point

Chapter 1: Recognizing the Cycle ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

One morning, a soccer game goes sideways when a student accidentally bumps into Jaden. He pushes back hard, shouting. A teacher intervenes, but the moment is already escalating. In debrief, staff replay the event with Jaden. He points to a sensory chart and says, “My body gets hot after running. I don’t know what to do with it.” They realize recess is not the problem. It is the unbuffered shift back to expectations. They begin tracking the escalation curve, noticing the repeated pattern. Trigger such as physical bump. Agitation with increased movement. Acceleration with verbal outburst. Peak with physical shove.

Patterns and Promises

Chapter 1: What Lies Beneath ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Ms. Jacobson invites staff to begin tracking patterns, not just behavior but context. Over a month, a story emerges. Terrell leaves when others laugh, when his ideas are interrupted, when authority feels sudden or sharp. “He doesn’t escalate up. He disappears,” says Mr. Carter, his teacher. They review notes and uncover consistent stress behaviors. Stiff posture, slowed breathing, clipped tone. They begin to shift their language from walkouts to signals.

Every Little Thing

Chapter 1: Triggers in the Environment ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Ms. Clarke and the school OT begin tracking moments when Tiana cries, yells, or runs. Patterns emerge. Sudden noise, rapid transitions, unclear instructions, unexpected visitors. Ms. Clarke redesigns her transitions by adding soft cues, visuals, and pre-warnings. She starts narrating what is coming next before it happens. The class begins to feel calmer for everyone. Tiana still struggles, but the frequency of explosive moments drops.

It’s Not Just the Student

Chapter 1: The Escalation Loop ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Over the next week, she tracks not just student behavior but her own. Tight chest before math. Shallow breath when noise rises. A clenched jaw as transitions begin. She starts a double map with her coach. One column for student incidents, the other for her internal cues. She realizes that her reactivity often precedes the student outbursts. “It’s not just the student,” she admits. “Sometimes I escalate first.”

Ripple Effects

Chapter 1: Stepping Back to See the Pattern ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Mr. Neufeld pulls incident reports from the last six months. Lunch hour. Hallway bottlenecks. The same students. The same staff. He circles patterns in red pen. It is not random. It is systemic. He invites a cross-role team of teachers, educational assistants, and counsellors to a lunch meeting. “What if escalation isn’t a student problem?” he asks. “What if it’s an ecosystem problem?” The room is quiet. Then one teacher nods slowly. “I’ve felt it too.”

Bridging the Gaps

Chapter 1: Beyond Triage ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

In her follow-up debrief, Tanya gently challenges the team. “What would it look like if we planned for regulation, not just response?” She proposes a new early identification protocol, with red flags that prompt proactive support before patterns become entrenched. At the next school, she co-plans with the leadership team. They map out students who are beginning to show signs of dysregulation. Together, they identify opportunities for early connection, sensory support, and visual routines. Change begins not with the loudest student, but the quiet warning signs.

▶ Learning Interlude 2: Preventing Escalation Before It Starts

Learning Interlude 2: Preventing Escalation Before It Starts

Occurs After Chapter 1 → Before Chapter 2

Module Name: Proactive Foundations for Safety and Belonging

📎 Facilitator Notes (📄PDF)

🌟 Success Criteria

I can identify proactive strategies that reduce the likelihood of escalation.
I can describe how co-regulation and predictability promote emotional safety.
I can co-develop or refine a regulation support plan for a student.

🎬 Learning Link 1: Co-Regulation and Emotional Safety

Power Point Slides (📄PDF)

📝 Individual Learning Activity 1 (Choose 1 or More)

Co-Regulation Reflection Journal (📄PDF): Reflect on your personal role in providing emotional safety for students.
My Calm Toolkit (📄PDF): Identify your own strategies and supports that help maintain your regulated presence in moments of student stress.
Case Snapshot Analysis (📄PDF): Analyze a student case and map how adult regulation impacted the student’s state.

🤝 Group Learning Activity 1 (Choose 1 or More)

Co-Regulation Role Play (📄PDF): Practice responding to early signs of student dysregulation using co-regulation strategies.
Trust Builders Brainstorm (📄PDF): Create a shared list of routines, rituals, and interactions that build emotional safety.
Relational Check-Ins Planning Tool (📄PDF): As a team, design a predictable check-in routine for students at risk of escalation.

🎬 Learning Link 2: Predictability, Routine, and Trust

Power Point Slides (📄PDF)

📝 Individual Learning Activity 2 (Choose 1 or More)

Predictability Audit (📄PDF): Review your current classroom routines for consistency and emotional safety.
One New Routine Plan (📄PDF): Design and commit to introducing one new predictable routine that builds trust.
Schedule Through the Eyes of a Student (📄PDF): Reflect on the day from the perspective of a student who struggles with transitions.

🤝 Group Learning Activity 2 (Choose 1 or More)

Routine Mapping Workshop (📄PDF): Map your school or classroom transitions and routines to identify high-risk moments.
Predictable Class Culture Visual (📄PDF): Collaboratively create visual tools (charts, checklists) that reinforce classroom predictability.
Trust Timeline Protocol (📄PDF): Explore how students’ sense of trust evolves over time and how teams can support it.

🎬 Learning Link 3: Inclusive Design as Prevention

Power Point Slides (📄PDF)

📝 Individual Learning Activity 3 (Choose 1 or More)

Design Audit for Regulation (📄PDF): Evaluate one unit or lesson to see how it supports or hinders regulation.
Student Regulation Cue Card (📄PDF): Create a support cue card for one student using visual or sensory tools.
Inclusive Environment Scan (📄PDF): Use a checklist to review your classroom for sensory, relational, and emotional triggers.

🤝 Group Learning Activity 3 (Choose 1 or More)

Proactive Planning Protocol (📄PDF): Work in teams to develop a proactive regulation plan for a fictional student.
Support Plan Tuning Protocol (📄PDF): Bring a real student regulation plan and receive feedback from peers using structured tuning.
Classroom Culture Roundtable (📄PDF): Share ways your classroom or team fosters safety and regulation proactively.

🧰 Tools & Templates:

Co-Regulation Practice Menu (📄PDF): A collection of actionable strategies to promote adult-student regulation.
Predictable Routines Builder (📄PDF): A guide for developing consistent, safe routines.
Student Regulation Plan Template (📄PDF): A customizable template for co-developing student-centered regulation supports.

📚 Reference List (📄PDF)

Includes research and frameworks on proactive behavior support, emotional safety, co-regulation, and universal design for regulation and trust.

▶ Inside the Story: Chapter 2

Inside the Story: Chapter 2

Meeting Marcus

Chapter 2: The Escalation Curve ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

A week later, the class is working on a group STEM challenge. Marcus’s group is joking around, and one student nudges him playfully. Marcus misreads the tone, and his brain registers it as a threat. He stiffens, his voice rises, and his hands ball into fists. Ms. Hariri notices but hesitates, unsure if she should intervene. Before she can respond, Marcus throws his pencil and storms out of the room.

Later, in the staffroom, she reflects on what happened. She remembers the shift in his body and voice and admits, “I saw it coming. I froze.” Determined to do better, she commits to learning about early signals and practices role-play scenarios with the school’s behavior support teacher.

Under the Surface

Chapter 2: Escalation in Silence ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

One morning, a substitute teacher who is unaware of Ariana’s needs calls on her during attendance and then sharply adds, “Use your voice, please.” Ariana freezes, then bolts from the room. Mr. Leblanc finds her curled up behind the library beanbags, fists tight and rocking gently.

He sits near her in silence. Later, Ariana slides him a crumpled note that says, “Too loud. Too fast. I didn’t know what to do.” Mr. Leblanc realizes her escalation had been invisible until it wasn’t. Silence doesn’t always mean a child is regulated. He updates the class profile for future substitutes and begins co-developing visual cue cards with Ariana for use during stressful moments.

Break Time, Boiling Point

Chapter 2: Pre-Escalation Planning ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Jaden helps create a visual transition card system with colors that reflect his readiness. Red means he needs a break, yellow means he is trying, and green means he is ready. They establish a post-recess routine that includes calming tasks, noise-canceling headphones, and a short drawing time.

Ms. Samuels also learns to provide earlier cues for transitions, giving Jaden time to prepare. Other students receive similar supports, building a classroom culture where everyone is encouraged to regulate. When Jaden receives his laminated card set, he grins and says proudly, “I’m the boss of my body.”

Patterns and Promises

Chapter 2: Escalation Is a Signal ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

During a unit on Canadian history, Terrell freezes when he sees a worksheet that uses the word “discovery” to describe colonization of the West. He mutters, “This is messed up,” and challenges the teacher. When told to be respectful, he grabs his hoodie and leaves the room.

In a team meeting later, an Indigenous mentor shares insight with the staff. “It’s not just the content,” she explains. “It’s the way it erases what he knows is true. That’s a trigger.” Staff begin to understand that curriculum, tone, and what is left unsaid can all provoke escalation in ways that are easy to miss.

Every Little Thing

Chapter 2: Preventing Escalation ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Ms. Clarke invites Tiana to help create a calm-down corner. Together, they choose soft fabrics, a mini weighted lap pad, and a feelings chart with emoji faces. Tiana selects animal cards to communicate her needs. A turtle means she wants quiet, and a cheetah means she is ready to move.

During loud art periods, Tiana uses noise-cancelling headphones. She starts using the calm-down corner on her own, going there before things get overwhelming. One day, she whispers, “It helps me breathe.”

It’s Not Just the Student

Chapter 2: Rewriting the Playbook ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Ms. Johal and her instructional coach co-create a daily rhythm that supports regulation for both students and staff. They add morning emotional check-ins using emojis and open-ended questions, introduce a sensory table for reset moments, and use visual timers and stretch transitions to reduce pressure.

She builds a personal routine as well. Every morning before greeting her students, she pauses at the window and takes a deep breath. A student notices and asks, “That’s your calm spot, right?” She smiles and responds, “Yes. Want to try it with me?”

Ripple Effects

Chapter 2: From Control to Connection ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

The school team launches a pilot initiative to support regulation across the school. Anchor staff are assigned to high-traffic hallways, break passes are offered before known high-stress times, and teachers receive coaching on how to recognize early signs of dysregulation.

Mr. Neufeld arranges professional development on the escalation cycle and co-regulation strategies. He reminds staff, “Control may stop a fight, but connection can prevent it.” One educational assistant says, “This is the first time I’ve felt like we’re planning with students, not just around them.”

Bridging the Gaps

Chapter 2: Staff Capacity, Not Just Student Plans ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Tanya notices that school teams often want her to create behavior support plans independently. Instead, she invites them into hands-on learning. Together, they role-play early escalation cues, practice co-regulation scripts, and build classroom sensory pathways.

At first, teachers laugh awkwardly, but soon they engage more deeply. One educational assistant reflects, “I thought I needed more data, but really, I needed to notice more.” The plans that emerge begin to shift. They become less about compliance and more rooted in compassion.

▶ Learning Interlude 3: Recognizing Early Signs and Responding

Learning Interlude 3: Recognizing Early Signs and Responding

Occurs After Chapter 2 → Before Chapter 3

Module Name: Assistive Tools, Strategies, and Scaffolds

📎 Facilitator Notes (📄PDF)

🌟 Success Criteria

I can identify early signs of dysregulation in students.
I can respond to the Trigger and Agitation phases without escalating the situation.
I can work collaboratively with students to understand and plan for their stress triggers.

🎬 Learning Link 1: Noticing the Early Signs

Power Point Slides (📄PDF)

📝 Individual Learning Activity 1 (Choose 1 or More)

Dysregulation Early Signs Journal (📄PDF): Reflect on past moments when a student showed early signs of escalation and how you responded.
Body Language & Affect Observation Tool (📄PDF): Observe and record subtle cues in student behavior during different times of day.
Self-Reflection: My Response Triggers (📄PDF): Identify personal stress responses and how they may influence escalation in the classroom.

🤝 Group Learning Activity 1 (Choose 1 or More)

Micro-Cues Scenario Practice (📄PDF): Work through brief scenarios to practice naming early signs and brainstorming responses.
Escalation Debrief Protocol (📄PDF): Analyze a past incident as a team, focusing on what signs were missed or misunderstood.
Empathy in Action Dialogue (📄PDF): Share and discuss stories about moments of catching early signs effectively.

🎬 Learning Link 2: Triggers and Escalation Traps

Power Point Slides (📄PDF)

📝 Individual Learning Activity 2 (Choose 1 or More)

Trigger Mapping Worksheet (📄PDF): Identify potential sensory, social, emotional, and academic triggers in your context.
Escalation Traps Self-Audit (📄PDF): Reflect on personal tendencies that may unintentionally escalate student behavior.
Environmental Stressors Checklist (📄PDF): Evaluate your classroom environment for possible sources of student distress.

🤝 Group Learning Activity 2 (Choose 1 or More)

Trigger Spotting Challenge (📄PDF): Review short video clips or case vignettes to identify invisible or overlooked triggers.
Avoiding the Trap: Strategy Brainstorm (📄PDF): Collaboratively develop a list of “what not to do” responses during early signs of escalation.
Trigger Awareness Walkthrough (📄PDF): Walk through the school building identifying high-risk locations or times.

🎬 Learning Link 3: Collaborative Planning with Students

Power Point Slides (📄PDF)

📝 Individual Learning Activity 3 (Choose 1 or More)

Student Strengths-Based Trigger Plan (📄PDF): Draft a student-friendly plan using a collaborative lens and the student’s strengths.
Anticipation & Response Flowchart (📄PDF): Design a visual plan for what to notice and how to respond at the early phases.
Co-Regulation Planning Template (📄PDF): Map out supportive roles and responses among staff in the early stages of escalation.

🤝 Group Learning Activity 3 (Choose 1 or More)

Plan Tuning Protocol (📄PDF): Use a structured peer protocol to refine a student regulation or trigger plan.
Student Partnership Roleplay (📄PDF): Practice conversations with students about identifying and managing their triggers.
Circle Dialogue: What Helps You Feel Safe? (📄PDF): Hold a small group or staff circle on safety, support, and early intervention.

🧰 Tools & Templates:

Trigger Mapping Tool (📄PDF): Identify and organize internal and external stressors.
Early Signs Observation Tracker (📄PDF): Track and reflect on patterns of early dysregulation.
Collaborative Support Plan Template (📄PDF): Design student-driven plans to navigate triggers with adult guidance.

📚 Reference List (📄PDF)

Includes resources on stress behavior, trauma-informed practice, early intervention, and co-regulated support planning.

▶ Inside the Story: Chapter 3

Inside the Story: Chapter 3

Meeting Marcus

Chapter 3: Crisis Moments ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

On a gray Thursday, a pop quiz is handed out without warning. Marcus mutters, “I didn’t know about this,” and slams his binder shut. Ms. Hariri responds calmly, saying, “It’s okay. We’ll talk in a minute.” But when another teacher steps in and corners Marcus at the back of the room, speaking too quickly and firmly, things escalate. Marcus explodes. A chair flips, and students gasp.

Although the team removes him safely, the debrief later reveals something deeper. The school psychologist gently reflects, “We escalated it. Too many voices. Not enough space.” The team realizes a change is needed. They commit to a plan with fewer adults, clearer roles, more space, and an emphasis on calm presence.

Under the Surface

Chapter 3: Gentle Crisis Support ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

When Ariana has tough days, she now has access to quiet time with music and coloring pages. One afternoon, Mr. Leblanc notices her tightly gripping her pencil and furrowing her brow. He does not speak but instead sits beside her and begins sketching on a blank piece of paper.

A few minutes pass before Ariana joins in. Later, she draws herself standing next to a tree labeled “safe” and points at Mr. Leblanc, then at the tree. He tears up, realizing that connection does not always require words. Together, they co-create a calming toolkit that Ariana can access without needing to ask.

Break Time, Boiling Point

Chapter 3: When It Boils Over ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Even with planning in place, some days are hard. One afternoon, Jaden throws a pencil box across the hallway after a peer cuts in front of him. Ms. Samuels begins to correct him instinctively but catches herself. Instead, she takes a breath and points toward his red card.

Jaden slumps against the wall and says, “I was trying. Then it went bad.” Later, the two of them walk together and talk about body signals and exit plans. It becomes clear that the tools only work when the adults use them too. Regulation must be modeled, not just expected.

Patterns and Promises

Chapter 3: Safe Adults, Predictable Steps( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Each morning, Mr. Omar checks in with Terrell. His calm presence and respectful approach help establish a consistent grounding routine that includes doodling, headphones, and quiet time before class. One day, after a tense classroom moment, Terrell begins to pace.

Mr. Omar nods and quietly says, “You’ve got time.” Terrell walks a loop in the hallway and returns without incident. These small changes (offering space, showing nonjudgmental presence) begin to rebuild a sense of safety and trust.

Every Little Thing

Chapter 3: When Overwhelm Wins ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

A surprise fire drill sets off chaos. Tiana screams, covers her ears, and crouches under the coat rack. But this time, the team follows their plan. Ms. Clarke uses a calming gesture they’ve practiced together, and a peer buddy gently taps the turtle card on Tiana’s desk.

Tiana, hands shaking, stands and follows the class line outside. Later, she decompresses with playdough and quiet time. The staff doesn’t refer to this as a meltdown. They call it a success. A difficult moment that was met with practiced care and connection.

It’s Not Just the Student

Chapter 3: Holding Space in the Moment ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

During a busy math block, tension builds. Students are off-task, a worksheet mix-up adds confusion, and noise levels rise. Ms. Johal feels the pressure and the urge to yell but instead, she pauses.

Out loud, she says, “I feel overwhelmed. I’m going to take three breaths.” The students follow her lead. The classroom energy shifts. Instead of a power struggle, the group resets together. Later, a student remarks, “You didn’t get mad… you just got quiet.”

Ripple Effects

Chapter 3: In the Heat of the Moment ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Two students begin to posture and raise their voices. It seems like another fight is about to erupt. But this time, a staff member intervenes early, using a calm tone, a relaxed posture, and offering a simple option: a water break and a hallway walk.

The student hesitates, then accepts. They walk down the hallway together in silence. Later, the teacher confesses, “I didn’t think it would work. But it did.” Mr. Neufeld responds, “Because you saw it before it peaked. That’s the shift.”

Bridging the Gaps

Chapter 3: Holding Systems Accountable ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Tanya introduces a new tool across the division called the Escalation Reflection Tool. But this tool doesn’t focus on students. It focuses on the actions of adults. The questions ask whether early signs were noticed, whether staff escalated or de-escalated the situation, and what environmental factors played a role.

Some staff are skeptical at first and ask, “Is this a blame tool?” Tanya replies, “No. It’s a mirror. And a map.” Before long, teams begin using the tool on their own, because it helps shift practice from reaction to reflection.

▶ Learning Interlude 4: Responding in the Peak and Recovery Phases

Learning Interlude 4: Responding in the Peak and Recovery Phases

Occurs After Chapter 3 → Before Chapter 4

Module Name: Crisis Response and Recovery

📎 Facilitator Notes (📄PDF)

🌟 Success Criteria

I can describe effective de-escalation strategies that preserve safety and dignity.
I can stay grounded and non-reactive during the peak of escalation.
I can support students during recovery with compassion and care.

🎬 Learning Link 1: Staying Regulated as the Adult

Power Point Slides (📄PDF)

📝 Individual Learning Activity 1 (Choose 1 or More)

Personal Regulation Anchor Plan (📄PDF): Identify what helps you stay grounded and regulated during student escalations.
Adult Reaction Patterns Reflection (📄PDF): Reflect on past crisis responses—what worked, what didn’t, and why.
Regulation Cues Inventory (📄PDF): Develop a personal list of physiological or emotional cues that signal dysregulation.

🤝 Group Learning Activity 1 (Choose 1 or More)

Grounding Practice Circle (📄PDF): As a team, practice breathwork, mantras, or grounding strategies to use during crisis.
De-Escalation Case Walkthrough (📄PDF): Review a case example as a group and identify adult regulation strategies.
Response Role Reflection (📄PDF): Map out team roles and support strategies for helping each other stay calm under pressure.

🎬 Learning Link 2: What to Do at the Peak

Power Point Slides (📄PDF)

📝 Individual Learning Activity 2 (Choose 1 or More)

Crisis Scripts Toolkit (📄PDF): Develop 3–5 neutral, calming scripts to use during peak escalation.
Escalation Environment Audit (📄PDF): Review physical classroom or hallway space for factors that either escalate or soothe.
When to Intervene Reflection Guide (📄PDF): Analyze real or fictional scenarios to determine intervention thresholds.

🤝 Group Learning Activity 2 (Choose 1 or More)

Crisis Simulation Protocol (📄PDF): Practice calm, role-specific responses using realistic crisis simulations.
Environmental Modifications Brainstorm (📄PDF): Collaborate to design low-stimulation zones or safety adjustments.
Peak Response Mapping (📄PDF): As a team, clarify who does what in different stages of a peak behavior event.

🎬 Learning Link 3: The Recovery Window

Power Point Slides (📄PDF)

📝 Individual Learning Activity 3 (Choose 1 or More)

Recovery Time Reflection Log (📄PDF): Reflect on how you currently respond after a student’s peak and what could improve.
Student Recovery Planning Template (📄PDF): Draft a personalized plan to support students as they return to calm.
Safety vs. Punishment Journal (📄PDF): Reflect on the difference between safety measures and punitive ones post-incident.

🤝 Group Learning Activity 3 (Choose 1 or More)

Repair Conversation Protocol Practice (📄PDF): Practice scripting and roleplaying post-escalation conversations that build trust.
Circle Debrief Simulation (📄PDF): Simulate how a class-wide restorative debrief might look after an incident.
Team Debrief Structure Builder (📄PDF): Co-create a plan for post-incident staff debriefs that center learning and care.

🧰 Tools & Templates:

Peak Response Flowchart (📄PDF): Visual decision-making guide for crisis moments.
De-Escalation Script Bank (📄PDF): Sample calming phrases tailored to different students and situations.
Recovery Planning Toolkit (📄PDF): Tools for supporting students’ transition from dysregulation to readiness.

📚 Reference List (📄PDF)

Includes evidence-based strategies for crisis de-escalation, trauma-informed recovery practices, and adult self-regulation tools.

▶ Inside the Story: Chapter 4

Inside the Story: Chapter 4

Meeting Marcus

Chapter 4: Repair, Reflect, and Rebuild ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Two days after the incident, Marcus returns to a quiet classroom. Ms. Hariri invites him to a corner table and says, “I’d like to make a plan with you.” Marcus does not speak much but draws a triangle on a sticky note and asks if he can use it to signal when he needs a break. Ms. Hariri agrees, and together they create a strategy with cues, exits, and quiet options.

The following week, Marcus silently places the triangle on his desk and steps out into the hallway to breathe. It works, and she tells him so. A simple moment becomes a turning point in rebuilding trust.

Under the Surface

Chapter 4: Trust as a Tool for De-escalation ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Mr. Leblanc gives Ariana the choice to identify a safe buddy in the classroom. She points to Kira, and together they practice a quiet exit plan. Ariana learns to tap her fox token when overwhelmed so she and Kira can leave for the regulation corner or office.

With staff now trained in low-arousal strategies, Ariana begins to feel safer in her environment. One day, she taps the token before freezing. It is a small step, but a powerful one that shows trust is beginning to take root.

Break Time, Boiling Point

Chapter 4: Restoring Belonging ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Ms. Samuels and Mr. Walsh guide Jaden and a peer through a short restorative conversation. The peer admits, “I didn’t mean to cut,” and Jaden replies, “I got mad. But I remembered what we practiced.” Together, they role-play alternatives for future conflict.

The next day, Jaden holds up his yellow card when he sees the same peer. The peer gives a thumbs up, and Jaden beams. This simple exchange shows the tools are becoming embedded in daily life and are beginning to restore belonging.

Patterns and Promises

Chapter 4: Community Repair ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

After a conflict involving several students, staff invite the entire class into a talking circle with a community Elder. Terrell shares, “Sometimes it feels like we’re being watched for mistakes, not seen for trying.” His teacher thanks him and invites suggestions.

Terrell proposes a code system that lets students signal when they need support without drawing attention. The class adopts the idea, and tensions begin to ease. Repair is happening through voice, choice, and shared responsibility.

Every Little Thing

Chapter 4: Empowering Regulation ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Ms. Clarke reads a social story titled “When Everything Feels Loud” and helps students role-play how to handle overwhelming situations like gym noise or flickering lights. Tiana creates her own book filled with pictures of coping strategies and signals.

She volunteers to teach classmates about her animal cues. When a new student hides under a table, Tiana gently offers her turtle card. Empowered with tools and voice, she becomes a model for self-regulation and peer support.

It’s Not Just the Student

Chapter 4: A Culture Shift ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

The classroom begins to transform not through rules but through relationships. Students begin checking in on each other and offering break cards. Together, they co-create a chart titled How We Stay Calm Together.

One student writes, “Ms. Johal helps us breathe when it’s hard.” Another adds, “She doesn’t get mad. She gets soft.” The room becomes a place where both students and adults are learning regulation together.

Ripple Effects

Chapter 4: Shared Language, Shared Tools ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

The school develops a unified toolkit that includes regulation visuals in every room, debrief templates for post-incident reflection, and restorative circles built into advisory periods. Teachers begin reaching out to Mr. Neufeld before crises occur.

They ask questions like, “Can we plan a break routine for Jamal?” or “Can we co-create a support for Maya?” Slowly but surely, the culture shifts. It happens quietly, but it is real and lasting.

Bridging the Gaps

Chapter 4: Building Bridges Across Schools ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Tanya creates a Community of Practice for school teams navigating issues of escalation. The first session is raw with stories of burnout and frustration. But by the third session, change is underway.

One team shares how calm cards helped a Grade 2 class. Another offers a template for restorative check-ins. Peer coaching begins to emerge on its own. Instead of working in isolation, schools begin to build connections—supported by Tanya but driven by community.

▶ Learning Interlude 5: Rebuilding Trust and Moving Forward

Learning Interlude 5: Rebuilding Trust and Moving Forward

Occurs After Chapter 4 → Before Epilogue

Module Name: Repair and Recovery

📎 Facilitator Notes (📄PDF)

🌟 Success Criteria

I can facilitate or participate in repair conversations that prioritize student dignity.
I can differentiate between discipline and relational restoration.
I can reflect on my own role and response after an escalation.

🎬 Learning Link 1: Repair Conversations that Heal

Power Point Slides (📄PDF)

📝 Individual Learning Activity 1 (Choose 1 or More)

Repair Conversation Reflection Sheet (📄PDF): A guided worksheet to help you examine a past repair conversation, identifying what supported healing and what may have unintentionally caused harm.
Restoration Planning Template (📄PDF): A step-by-step planner to prepare for a repair conversation with a student, including prompts for timing, setting, language, and follow-up actions.
Language of Restoration Journal (📄PDF): A reflective space to explore how your choice of words can affirm or diminish a student’s dignity during restorative moments.

🤝 Group Learning Activity 1 (Choose 1 or More)

Restorative Dialogue Role-Play (📄PDF): A practice activity for guiding post-escalation conversations using role-played or real scenarios to strengthen confidence and empathy.
Case Clinic: Repair and Recovery (📄PDF): A structured peer consultation process where one participant presents a challenge and others offer constructive, nonjudgmental feedback.
Repair Script Building Circle (📄PDF): A collaborative activity to create and share ready-to-use, non-shaming dialogue starters for repair conversations.

🎬 Learning Link 2: The Power of Restorative Practice

Power Point Slides (📄PDF)

📝 Individual Learning Activity 2 (Choose 1 or More)

Restorative Reflection Map (📄PDF): A visual mapping tool to identify the impacts of a student’s actions on themselves, others, and the environment, then outline possible restorative steps.
From Consequence to Connection Worksheet (📄PDF): A reflection tool to compare past punitive responses with restorative alternatives and note the potential benefits of each.
Student Dignity Self-Audit (📄PDF): A checklist to evaluate whether your responses during conflict upheld or diminished a student’s sense of worth.

🤝 Group Learning Activity 2 (Choose 1 or More)

Staff Practice Circle: Restorative Language (📄PDF): A collaborative session for exploring and practicing tone, phrasing, and body language that build connection instead of defensiveness.
Consequences or Restoration? Case Sort (📄PDF): A group sorting activity to categorize real-world examples as punitive or restorative and discuss the reasoning.
Restorative Classroom Planning (📄PDF): A team-based design session to embed restorative practices into everyday classroom routines.

🎬 Learning Link 3: Adult Debriefing and Healing

Power Point Slides (📄PDF)

📝 Individual Learning Activity 3 (Choose 1 or More)

Self-Debrief Journal Template (📄PDF): A guided journal for reflecting on personal feelings, decisions, and learning after a challenging incident.
Shame Triggers and Recovery Log (📄PDF): A record-keeping tool to help you identify moments when personal shame influenced your response and how you recovered.
Compassionate Accountability Checklist (📄PDF): A balanced approach to holding yourself accountable for growth while maintaining self-compassion.

🤝 Group Learning Activity 3 (Choose 1 or More)

Team Debrief Protocol Practice (📄PDF): A structured process for team reflection after an incident, focusing on learning and future improvement rather than blame.
Burnout and Compassion Fatigue Check-In (📄PDF): A guided conversation for staff to recognize emotional strain and identify supports.
Co-Regulation for Adults Circle (📄PDF): A practice space for colleagues to share and try calming and grounding strategies together.

🧰 Tools & Templates:

Repair Conversation Planning Guide (📄PDF): A comprehensive guide for preparing, structuring, and following up on restorative conversations with students.
Restorative Response Flowchart (📄PDF): A visual decision-making aid to help staff choose restorative actions at different stages of the escalation and repair process.
Student & Staff Dignity Reflection Tool (📄PDF): A shared reflection tool that invites both student and adult perspectives on whether dignity was upheld during conflict resolution.

📚 Reference List (📄PDF)

Includes foundational readings on restorative justice, student dignity, adult healing, and trauma-informed recovery practices.

▶ Inside the Story: Epilogue

Inside the Story: Epilogue

Meeting Marcus

Epilogue: The Power of Connection ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

By spring, Marcus still experiences difficult days, but now he has strategies that support him. His triangle cue has become one of several routines that help him navigate the classroom. Ms. Hariri has introduced daily regulation check-ins, calm zones, and regular opportunities for student voice. These changes benefit the whole class. One student remarks, “I like that we don’t always have to talk to be understood.” At the year-end conference, Marcus’s mom quietly says, “He said you see him. That’s not small.” And it truly isn’t.

Under the Surface

Epilogue: A New Kind of Voice ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

As the school year ends, Mr. Leblanc invites students to share their writing. Ariana is hesitant, but he assures her they can do it in whatever way she chooses. In a quiet corner, Kira holds her paper while Ariana begins to read. Her voice trembles, but she keeps going. When she finishes, Mr. Leblanc gently whispers his thanks. Ariana smiles, looking him in the eye with confidence. Later, she draws a fox walking freely into an open field—a new image of herself.

Break Time, Boiling Point

Epilogue: Seeing Strengths First ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

The class co-creates a system where students support one another during transitions. Jaden proudly volunteers to explain how the visual cards work and even helps laminate the final set. During an assembly, Mr. Walsh shares how Jaden’s leadership influenced the routine. Jaden looks down, quietly smiling. Later, he adds a new label to his cubby that simply reads “Regulation Leader.”

Patterns and Promises

Epilogue: Choosing to Stay ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

A few weeks later, a new student lashes out, shouting and kicking a chair. Staff prepare to respond, but before they act, Terrell walks over and gently asks if the student wants to take a walk with him. The student hesitates, then nods and follows. Ms. Jacobson watches from the doorway without intervening. In that moment, Terrell is not reacting from survival. He is leading from connection.

Every Little Thing

Epilogue: Empowered and Understood ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

During morning circle, Tiana stands beside Ms. Clarke and introduces a new check-in board with animal symbols for different feelings. She invites everyone to choose how they feel. Even students without support plans participate. Later that day, one student says, “I used tiger today because I felt like I had too much energy.” Ms. Clarke smiles. Regulation has become part of how the whole class learns together.

It’s Not Just the Student

Epilogue: I’m Not the Same Teacher ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

Months later, Ms. Johal writes in her journal that she no longer sees dysregulation as a problem to manage but as a sign of disconnection needing care. She reflects on how she used to lead with control, and now she leads with relationship. At the final staff meeting, she shares her story. It is not about data or results, but about change. The room listens quietly, taking in the transformation.

Ripple Effects

Epilogue: A Different Kind of Safety Plan ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

The school’s discipline policy is rewritten to reflect a deeper understanding of safety. Now, each plan includes indicators of stress, co-regulation strategies, and the voice of the student. At the final staff gathering, Mr. Neufeld explains that safety is not just about stopping fights. It is about helping students stay regulated. There is a pause, and then the room erupts in applause. It feels sincere.

Bridging the Gaps

Epilogue: Systemic Change Starts Small ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )

One year later, Tanya reviews her calendar. There are only two crisis calls and several proactive coaching sessions and school planning meetings. She smiles at the shift. Change did not happen all at once, but it has started. Tanya is no longer responding to fires. She is helping design the foundation.

▶ Learning Interlude 6: Writing Your Own Story

Learning Interlude 6: Writing Your Own Story

Occurs After Epilogue

Module Name: Sustainable, Systemic Practice

📎 Facilitator Notes (📄PDF)

🌟 Success Criteria

I can describe schoolwide practices that support regulation and prevent escalation.
I can use data and reflection to adapt support plans for students and staff.
I can identify next steps for embedding this learning into my classroom, school, or division.

🎬 Learning Link 1: Designing for Regulation-Supportive Environments

Power Point Slides (📄PDF)

📝 Individual Learning Activity 1 (Choose 1 or More)

Environment Reflection Guide (📄PDF): A checklist and prompt tool to scan your physical space for sensory, emotional, and relational cues that support or hinder regulation. Best used during quiet times when you can observe your space from a student perspective.
Personal Commitment Poster (📄PDF): A creative template to visually capture one environmental or relational change you will commit to making in your classroom or workspace. Ideal for displaying as a reminder of your commitment.
Environment and Practice Self-Audit (📄PDF): A structured self-assessment to evaluate whether your environment and routines align with the regulatory needs of your students or colleagues.

🤝 Group Learning Activity 1 (Choose 1 or More)

Classroom Walkthrough Protocol (📄PDF): A peer observation process for visiting each other’s spaces and providing constructive feedback on regulatory design and cues.
Design Jam: Regulation-Friendly Spaces (📄PDF): A collaborative workshop where team members redesign one space to maximize emotional safety and regulation support.
Anchor Chart Building: Regulation for All (📄PDF): A group activity to co-create a visual anchor chart summarizing the shared regulation strategies used by the team.

🎬 Learning Link 2: Systems That Support, Not React

Power Point Slides (📄PDF)

📝 Individual Learning Activity 2 (Choose 1 or More)

Responsive Planning Reflection Sheet (📄PDF): A guided reflection to evaluate your current Behavioral Support Plan (BSP) or safety planning processes and their alignment with preventative principles.
Escalation Response Mapping Tool (📄PDF): A diagramming tool to visualize your current escalation responses, identify gaps, and ensure the team’s actions are aligned and preventative.
Adult Learning Needs Inventory (📄PDF): A self-assessment for identifying your own strengths and growth areas in de-escalation and regulation-supportive practices.

🤝 Group Learning Activity 2 (Choose 1 or More)

Policy-to-Practice Alignment Review (📄PDF): A team activity comparing current school or division policies with trauma-informed and inclusive practice guidelines.
Data Story Circle (📄PDF): A group discussion format where teams examine real or fictional escalation data to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities for systemic change.
Practice to Protocol Hackathon (📄PDF): A fast-paced collaborative session to co-create or refine protocols that embed regulation-supportive strategies into everyday routines.

🎬 Learning Link 3: Embedding Learning Into Daily Practice

Power Point Slides (📄PDF)

📝 Individual Learning Activity 3 (Choose 1 or More)

Personal Shift Tracker (📄PDF): A tracking tool to record the specific changes you have implemented or plan to implement in your daily practice.
Next Steps Planning Map (📄PDF): A structured plan that helps you break down your implementation into 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day milestones.
Barrier Anticipation & Solution Builder (📄PDF): A proactive planning sheet to identify potential challenges to implementation and outline supports or solutions.

🤝 Group Learning Activity 3 (Choose 1 or More)

Team Commitment Poster (📄PDF): A collaborative visual agreement outlining the team’s post-course commitments to sustaining regulation-supportive practice.
Courageous Conversations Protocol (📄PDF): A facilitation guide for engaging in honest dialogue about systemic barriers or inequities that impact regulation-supportive work.
Sustaining the Work Circle (📄PDF): A group reflection and planning process to explore how to maintain momentum and peer support over the long term.

🧰 Tools & Templates:

System Reflection & Alignment Tool (📄PDF): A comprehensive template to assess the alignment between current systems, school culture, and the principles of regulation-supportive practice.
Responsive Planning Template (📄PDF): A planning framework to ensure that both student and staff needs are considered when designing preventative and supportive responses.
Team Regulation Culture Rubric (📄PDF): A rubric for measuring your school or team’s progress toward a culture that consistently supports emotional regulation and connection.

📚 Reference List (📄PDF)

Includes research on sustainable inclusive design, identity-affirming access practices, and long-term system change through UDL.

▶ Reflection and Recognition