The past year has required us to adapt to working and interacting in a virtual environment while dealing with the stress and uncertainty all around us. Children may be experiencing increased feelings of anxiety and fear while attending school online, yet teachers face even more barriers to addressing their students' emotions while teaching in a virtual classroom. In the videos below, Dr. John Piacentini, Director of the UCLA Center for Child Anxiety Resilience Education and Support (CARES), demonstrates how a few of our favorite emotion regulation and grounding techniques can be taught through a virtual platform.

Feeling Thermometer

The Feeling Thermometer is a tool used to help individuals identify and express how they are feeling. The different "zones" on the thermometer range from green to red. The green zone represents when we are feeling calm or comfortable, while the red zone represents feeling agitated or very uncomfortable. Children sometimes share that playing outside or watching a movie are the types of activities that help them feel "in the green." The yellow zone represents feelings that are just a little uncomfortable, such as a little sad or a bit worried. The orange zone describes more uncomfortable feelings, such as mad, sad, or nervous. The red zone is used to describe the most intense feelings like fear, anger, or extreme sadness.

Teachers can use the Feeling Thermometer to check in with their students and help their students check in with themselves. It is impressive how easily many children can share and express their feelings with the Feeling Thermometer. Use a poll when you start your day or after a break to get a sense of how your virtual classroom is feeling. Or use the colors as a quick and simple way to ask a student how they are feeling in a private message. Providing a plain language identification system allows your students to express their emotions without prying or going into detail.

Grounding Techniques

Grounding techniques are fantastic emotion regulation skills for students (and teachers!) to practice, and can be tools to help move from red, orange, or yellow towards the green zone. Grounding techniques can be taught or led from anywhere. Muscle tensing and relaxing is a quick way to help students ease physical symptoms of stress and move away from uncomfortable feelings. Allow students to have their camera on or off as you lead the class in a muscle relaxation exercise. You can also help students return to the present moment by asking them to notice their physical surroundings and sensations. What are five items they can see in the room they are in? What can they hear or smell? Can they find five circular objects around them? All of these questions help with orienting the senses and calming the mind. Try using a grounding or orienting exercise at the start of class or after a major transition to keep your classroom regulated.