The Importance of Deescalation

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The Importance of Deescalation- 
A Roller-coaster of Emotions



Deescalation is to decrease in intensity, magnitude, etc as described on Dictionary.com.

Below are some ways I deescalate in the the school setting. This is from personal experiences and may vary for each person. 

As a Teacher it is important to: 

  • Build Relationships- this step happens prior to deescalating a student. Knowing a child's interest, helps with building relationships and during deescalation can help to take their mind off of what has made them so upset (for the moment). This does not mean, the issue will not be addressed, but timing is important. Use what you know to diffuse the situation. 
                  How about them Redskins last night? 
                  Did you make any touchdown in your game Saturday? 
                  I am so proud of you for doing so well on your test. 
  • Stay Calm- In certain situations, the teachers reaction can cause tension and make situations become worse. 

    1.  Use short phrases. I usually start with something like " I understand your upset, how can I help?"
    2. Use non-threatening body language. You may not realize that you talk with your hands, but this can sometimes be threatening to a child who is frustrated or angry. 
    3. Use appropriate voice tones. Do not join a yelling battle with a student. Sometimes, Silence is Golden. 
  • Give Space as Needed- Prior to deescalation, teach students phrases to allow them to have power over getting space (with boundaries of course).
      1. "I need space" is the easiest phrase to teach a student.
      2. Pre-decorate Break Cards to use when they become non verbal (or have nothing nice to say) due to frustration. 
      3. Provide a given space that is predetermined and safe for the student.
  • Make Quick Decisions- In some instances, when a child has escalated emotions, they become impulsive, sometimes damaging property. The goal during deescalation is to keep the child and surrounding adults and peers safe. If the child becomes unsafe to himself and others, I immediately use a safe word or phrase (Get up and Go), and they leave to a safe place. This is the time when you are able to work with the student 1:1 to start he deescalation process. I promise the material things are not as important as this child's life or mental state, use this time to work on the student and how to assist him in regulating his emotion, not pointing out the damage he is making. At this moment, the child does not understand value of material things like pencils, neatly organized bookshelves, bulletin boards, etc. The best time to address how much these items mean to you would be another day when the child is calm. Use it as a teachable moment. 

I hope this article helps you. Please comment if you have used a successful strategy in your classroom that will be helpful to others. 

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