Window of Stress Tolerance

In the book Help for Billy something called a window for stress tolerance was described (p. 18).  As I read this it made so much sense for some of the kids that walk in our doors each day.  The window of stress tolerance is defined by the student's ability to withstand pressure, overwhelm and fear without becoming dysregulated and without reaching his "breaking point".  Each one of us have a certain level of stress from which we operate, as well as a point at which we reach complete overwhelm, where we essentially "blow".

This figure shows the difference between 2 students stress windows. When a student has a large window of stress tolerance, he has the ability to function in life and at school.  Andy can navigate his way through his academic day with ease and flexibility.  However, Billy has a very small window.  He lives only moments away from his breaking point.  His executive functions are not on line because he is too stressed out to think clearly and rationally.  He is living from a much deeper emotional place of internal chaos, fear and survival.  

CHANGING THE WINDOW: When a child is placed in an environment that keeps him in his window without reaching his breaking point he has a chance to increase his window of tolerance.

After thinking about this please share a way or ways that you think would work well to increase students like Billy's window of tolerance.  You might have had a student like Billy and did something that kept them from their breaking point.  Or maybe you read something, or heard another teacher mention something that you would like to try.  Please share and/or comment to others.   

Children's Needs

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!  Hopefully the rain is not ruining everyone's fun...

I'm going to start posting weekly blogs.  Your posts and responses to other's posts will earn you jeans  tickets for next year!  

The questions will be based on last summer's book study, Engaging Students of Poverty and the book Help for Billy.  Even if you have not read one or both of the books you will be able to answer the questions. 

"What do children need at school to make learning better?  In other words, what would make you look forward to getting up and going to school every day?"