"If your body is like a car engine,
sometimes it runs on high,
sometimes it runs on low, and
sometimes it runs just right."
Below, I have given the bare bone basics of the program. Please check out the website at www.alertprogram.com for more information! There are three zones that your body can be in at any given time. They are as follows:
Blue Zone - This is when you have low energy, possibly hungry, sad, lonely etc. Your car is not running properly and needs some attention.
Green Zone - This is when your energy is "just right". You are feeling ready to learn, calm, controlled and at your best. Your car is running well and can go for some time.
Red Zone - This is when your energy is running high. There are two ways to be in the red zone. One is when you are being physically active - your heart beat increases, you may be short of breath, sweaty and working hard. This is a good way to be in the red zone. The other way is when you are out of control, distracted or distracting, off task, talking out of turn etc. This is not a good way to be in the red zone. Your car is running too fast in this zone.
We want the students to begin learning to recognize which zone they are in at any given time and practice strategies to bring themselves back to the green zone.
We will be learning different strategies to move ourselves from red or blue and back into the green zone.
If a students is having trouble staying in the green zone during learning time, I give them two warnings. On the third warning, they must go sit on the cozy couch and take a break. They are encouraged to use the strategies that they have learned to get themselves back into the green zone. When they are ready to begin again in the green zone, they are welcome to come back. This is not a time out but an opportunity for them to take a minute to regroup and come back ready to work and learn. They control how long they stay at the couch and when they rejoin the group.
