Sensory Self Regulation

Arnie and His School Tools

• ©2008. Written and illustrated by Jennifer Veenendall. In this fun and colorful children’s book, the author, a school-based occupational therapist introduces the reader to a little boy named Arnie. Arnie is just like his friends in a lot of ways, but he is also different in one major way. Arnie is a “MOVER”. He cannot sit still. Arnie used to get in trouble at school for fidgeting and getting distracted often. Luckily, with the help of his mom and dad, Arnie’s teachers have come up with a list of tools to help him concentrate and be successful at home and school. Some of these tools involve wearing headphones to drown out extraneous noises, eating certain foods to help him concentrate, and jumping on a trampoline to drain energy. For ages 4-8.
  

Why does Izzy Cover Her Ears? Dealing with Sensory Overload?A book to explain

Sensory Overload in simple but effective terms. It offers practical tips and could serve as a great way to encourage students to understand why and when they feel sensory overload.

Calm, Alert and Learning: Classroom Strategies for Self Regulation

There is a growing awareness among developmental scientists that the better a child can self-regulate, the better she can rise to the challenge of mastering ever more complex skills and concepts. In the simplest terms, self-regulation can be defined as the ability to stay calmly focused and alert, which often involves – but cannot be reduced to – self-control. The better a child can stay calmly focused and alert, the better he integrates the diverse information coming in from his different senses, assimilates it, and sequences his thoughts and actions. For someone who thinks that self-regulation is really just a matter of a child’s getting in control of his negative emotions, there is very little difference between self-regulation and compliance. But, unlike compliance based on punishment, self-regulation nurtures the ability to cope with greater and greater challenges because it involves arousal states, emotions, behavior, and – as the child grows older – thinking skills.