The "Why" Behind Classroom Behaviors, PreK-5. Jamie Chaves
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
Supportive Diagram
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.
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