Help for Billy: A Beyond Consequences Approaching to Helping Challenging Children in the Classroom

by Heather T. Forbes

Pacing. We naturally pace when we are anxious. It is a way for the body to regulate. The neocortex can absorb more information while the body is moving compared to sitting still. Mark off a pacing track in the back of the classroom with tape and allow students to pace even if you are presenting an academic lesson. Billy will learn better when he is free to move instead of being forced to sit still, which will create the feeling of being trapped. Standing exercises. As a class, incorporate exercises each student can do standing up at his desk. Brain Gym® movements can significantly increase students’ abilities to concentrate and focus. Sitting exercises. Fitness balls can be excellent alternatives to chairs for children who need to have their bodies moving while seated at their desks. Movement through space. Activities, such as spinning and swinging, can help to regulate a child both physically and emotionally. Playground equipment, such as slides and merry-go-rounds, offer children a playful and fun way to reregulate. Bilateral activities. Two-sided, or bilateral, activities such as jumping rope, crawling, and riding a bike are excellent movements to help balance the body.