Welcome to Shubert’s School
Shubert’s Classroom: Safe Place
Shubert’s Classroom: Safe Place
How to Use a Safe Place in Shubert’s Classroom
The Safe Place is a center where children can go to change their inner state from upset to composed in order to optimize learning. It is the centerpiece of your self-regulation program.
A chair, beanbag, throw rug or pillow serves as a base for your Safe Place. Fill the Safe Place with tools and activities that lead children through the five steps of self-regulation: I Am, I Calm, I Feel, I Choose, I Solve. The I Am step involves the initial upset when the child becomes the emotion. “I am angry!” The I Am Smock is helpful for demonstrating this stage of upset. The I Calm step requires active calming, featuring the four main breathing techniques, access to a Friends and Family book, and other calming activities. The I Feel step includes identifying the feeling with the Feeling Buddies or a Feeling chart. The I Choose step requires the child to consciously choose additional calming activities utilizing the Brain Smart Choice Cubes, I Choose Self-Control Board and/or class-made choice boards. The I Solve step involves the child solving the original problem before returning to work or play, often through the use of the Time Machine.
Shubert is a S.T.A.R. teaches how to use the Safe Place and models the four main breathing exercises in Conscious Discipline: S.T.A.R., Drain, Pretzel and Balloon. Adults must teach and model relaxation techniques so children can learn how to calm themselves.
The Safe Place is discussed in detail, including activities and images, in Chapter 9 of Creating the School Family. There are many products that support the active calming process, such as the Safe Place Mat, Safe Place Poster Set, I Can Calm book and Calming Pillow Set. Helpful music for the Safe Place includes “Bye Bye Crankies” on Songs for I Love You Rituals Volume 2, “Snuggle Up” on Songs for I Love You Rituals Volume 1, “S.T.A.R. Song” on It Starts in the Heart, “You Can Relax Now” on Kindness Counts, and “Calm Your Brain” and “Safe and Calm” on Brain Boogie Boosters.
The CLASSROOM EDITION: Feeling Buddies Self-Regulation Toolkit offers a comprehensive, advanced approach that teaches not only active calming strategies, but also the essential messages our emotions carry and the constructive inner speech that is crucial to the self-regulation of difficult emotions.
Kindergarten and 1st Grade Examples
Kindergarten Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.2
Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.
1st Grade Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.2
Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
(Authors: National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers Title: Common Core State Standards (insert specific content area if you are using only one) Publisher: National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers, Washington D.C. Copyright Date: 2010 For more information, please visit our pages for Developers & Publishers, Terms of Use, and Public License.)
Video Examples: Safe Place in Shubert’s Classroom
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Children with Special Needs: Safe Place - Autistic Child Successfully Navigates Choices With Help
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Children with Special Needs: Safe Place - in PreK ESE
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Younger Children: How To Setup A Safe Place - Dr. Becky Bailey Explains
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Younger Children: Breathing - S.T.A.R. Folder
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Younger Children: Safe Place - in 1st Grade
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Younger Children: Safe Place - Young Girl Uses Safe Place Mat to Drain Breathe
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Younger Children: Safe Place - Younger Child Takes Friend to Safe Place
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Younger Children: Safe Place - Younger Child Explains Safe Place
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Younger Children: Safe Place - Miss Mom in 1st Grade
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Younger Children: Safe Place - Explained by 5-year-old
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Younger Children: Safe Place - for 3-year-olds
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Younger Children: Safe Place - Book
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Older Children: Breathing - Middle School Science Teacher Breathing and Testing
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Older Children: Safe Place - in High School
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Older Children: Safe Place - in 5th Grade with Testing
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Older Children: Safe Place - 5th Graders Explain Safe Place
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Older Children: Safe Place - in 4th Grade
Photo Examples: Safe Place in Shubert’s Classroom
