Owls, Monkeys, and Dinosaurs
Self-Regulation for Teachers: The Key to Helping Students Navigate Challenges
As educators, we often find ourselves not only teaching content but also guiding students through the complexities of their emotions and behaviors. One powerful way to do this is by learning to self-regulate so that we can effectively co-regulate with our students, especially when they are working through difficult situations or learning how to ask for help.
A helpful framework to understand these internal states is the Brain State Model, which introduces three key brain areas—the Owl, the Monkey, and the Dinosaur—that reflect different levels of emotional and cognitive functioning. Let’s explore how this model, combined with the O-M-D framework (Owl, Monkey, Dinosaur), can help you and your students navigate challenges in the classroom.
The Owl: Executive State
The Owl represents the Executive State, located in the prefrontal lobes of the brain. This is where decision-making, problem-solving, and self-regulation happen. For both teachers and students, the Executive State is the ideal mindset for learning and engagement.
As a teacher, practicing self-regulation helps you stay in this state, allowing you to make clear decisions and model calm problem-solving for your students. When students see you regulate your emotions, they can mirror those behaviors. Creating a classroom culture of calm and focus helps students access their executive functioning skills, which are crucial for learning how to work through challenges.
The Monkey: Emotional State
The Monkey represents the Emotional State, located in the brain’s limbic system. This state is where emotions like joy, fear, anger, and sadness reside. Students in this state may find it difficult to focus on learning because their emotions are taking the lead.
When students are in the Emotional State, they may need help naming their feelings and developing emotional regulation skills. As a teacher, you can guide students through this by modeling your own emotional awareness. Show them that it’s okay to feel a range of emotions, but it’s important to work through them. By acknowledging and validating their emotions, you help students transition out of the Monkey state and back into the Executive State where learning can resume.
The Dinosaur: Survival State
Finally, the Dinosaur represents the Survival State, found in the brainstem, which triggers the fight, flight, or freeze response. This state is often a result of perceived threats or overwhelming emotions, and students in this state might exhibit reactive behaviors that can be disruptive or challenging.
When you encounter students in the Survival State, the goal is to de-escalate and guide them back to a place where they can self-regulate. By first regulating your own emotions—keeping calm and composed—you can co-regulate with the student, offering a sense of safety and helping them move out of survival mode.
The O-M-D Framework in Practice
So how can you apply the O-M-D framework in the classroom to support your students through these brain states?
Owl (Executive State): Focus on creating a classroom environment that promotes connection, safety, and clear expectations. When students feel secure and know what to expect, they are more likely to remain in the Executive State, ready to engage in learning.
Monkey (Emotional State): Acknowledge students' emotions without judgment. Create opportunities for reflection, storytelling, or discussions that allow students to express their feelings. This emotional engagement is key to helping them build emotional intelligence and move back into a learning-ready mindset.
Dinosaur (Survival State): Address survival state behaviors with patience and problem-solving strategies. Help students recognize their triggers and teach them how to respond in more constructive ways. This empowers students to take responsibility for their actions and learn from difficult situations.
Cultivating Co-Regulation for Student Success
When you learn to self-regulate, you not only manage your own responses better but also create a more supportive environment for your students. Your calm, consistent approach allows them to feel safe as they work through challenges, and they learn to develop those same self-regulation skills. Over time, students will be better equipped to ask for help, navigate difficult emotions, and make thoughtful choices.
By embracing the Brain State Model and O-M-D framework, you can help students develop the executive skills they need for lifelong success, all while fostering a more connected and emotionally supportive classroom. Remember, students can only use the skills that they have learned.
Nicole Teyechea, PhD
Bring clarity, simplify your practice, and make an impact with every lesson
References:
Bailey, B. (2001). Conscious Discipline: Building Resilient Classrooms. Loving Guidance, Inc.
Brown, B. (2021). Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience. Random House.
Siegel, D. J., & Bryson, T. P. (2012). The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind. Bantam Books.
