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Social Thinking
Social Thinking
Social Thinking is a framework of instruction for creating positive relationships with others. Many behavior and social intervention programs focus on changing behaviors one by one but don't teach the "why." Interpersonal relationships can be tricky because there are no concrete rules from person to person, so socialization requires flexibility.
By focusing on the perspectives of others, students are taught to imagine the "thought bubbles" of other people and then use those thoughts to help them determine the appropriateness of behavior. It can be challenging to take the viewpoint of another person, so teachers need to be here for the student to aid in the ongoing process of conflict resolution.
One student aptly named my conflict resolution process a "social autopsy." We help students dissect all of the pieces of the situation. From there we help them view the conflict from a number of different viewpoints to increase their social awareness, help them move forward, and find new tools to prevent future conflict.
Big Idea: every action we do causes a thought bubble in someone else's head. We have a choice of whether our actions are seen positively or negatively.
The Zones of Regulation is a curriculum that teaches students to regulate their emotions and behavioral reactions.
Big Idea: We all have emotions and all emotions are valid. It is what we do with those emotions that matter.
The Feelings
The Feelings
The Zones of Regulation teaches 4 basic zones within our emotions:
Low Alertness (Blue Zone)
Calm but Alert (Green Zone)
Highly Alert (Yellow Zone)
Over Alert (Red Zone)
From there, students learn new emotional vocabulary by comparing each feeling to a zone on the Feelings Wheel.
The Senses
The Senses
Our brain is constantly taking in signals from the world around us. These signals are called sensations and they tell us everything that is happening. Based on our sensations and the information we are getting from the world around us, our body begins to feel the various emotions. Some of our sensations may cause bigger emotions than others.
Example- someone who is sensitive to light might become angry when someone points a flashlight at them.
The Behaviors
The Behaviors
Our emotions follow two paths:
Reflexes- These are automatic reactions to sensations.
For example- If I touch a hot stove, my hand automatically flinches.
Reactions- These are chosen behaviors to sensations.
For example- I might scream at my brother when he takes my laptop without asking.
We can have many reactions to the sensations around us. Thinking about which reaction will cause the most positive "thought bubbles" in those around us, is important.
The Tools
The Tools
There are many tools that students will learn over the year to regulate their emotions so that they may choose the best reaction:
Body Breaks
Brain Breaks
Fidgets
Breathing
Size and Scale of Problem
And many more!
Sources: Social Thinking, Michelle Garcia Winner, Leah Kuypers
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