It’s inevitable that there will be times when you have a frustrated or angry student. Whether they express themselves in angry outbursts, obvious discomfort, or temper tantrums, there are effective ways to use early behavioral intervention to help your students feel calm, seen, and heard.

When you validate a student’s “big feelings,” it’s easier to calm them down and encourage them to cope with their emotions. Whether your students are just going through a difficult day or are struggling with anger more regularly, use these helpful strategies as a jumping-off point to intervene early and remind them that things will get better. '

Use Cooling-Off Areas

Cooling-off areas are a great way to help your students get some alone time when things become overwhelming for them. Find a special, prearranged spot in your classroom that feels peaceful — a small area next to the library or by the windows, for example — and dedicate it for cooling off and unwinding. Finding a few possible cooling-off areas will help students feel that they have a place to go when they need to calm down. 

Place a floor cushion, a soft blanket, a rug, or a comfortable chair for this area. A soft space to land will help your student’s anger dissipate and make them feel more at ease. 

Enlist the help of your students to create a list of techniques that everyone can use to feel better when they’re upset.  These techniques include taking a deep breath, moving your body, and doing a body scan to release tension in tight areas — anything that feels right. 

Hang up these suggestions in cooling-off areas along with visually appealing and calming artwork, like serene waters, misty mountains, or even students’ colorful artwork. Let your students know that this area is specifically designated for cooling off and that students shouldn’t disturb others who are using it. 

Allow your students to use this area whenever they need to regulate their emotions; this will help them see their situation differently once they have the chance to come back down from anger flare-ups.  

Talk Through Feelings

One of the most effective ways to help your students get a handle on their frustration is by talking about it with them. Let your students know that you are always ready to talk to them about their feelings. This makes them feel safe coming to you with any problems they may be facing instead of bottling up their feelings. 

When you approach your students in a friendly manner and listen attentively to what they have to say, they will understand that you are expressing concern for their feelings and are there to offer support. This special effort goes a long way in establishing a sense of mutual trust and respect, which will encourage them to problem-solve rather than lash out when they feel angry.

Offering a positive comment to each student who needs help feeling better — like reminding them of how proud you are of them for sharing their feelings and working through them with you, for example — will often mitigate and even prevent an outburst. 

Read Together

When children see themselves in their favorite characters, they feel better about having big feelings. Reading is a wonderful way to not only bring your students’ attention to a fun story, but also help them understand that their feelings are valid and normal and that over time, they will pass. 

Whatever range of anger they’re feeling — whether it’s mild crankiness and frustration or full-on anger — there are relatable books that you can read aloud together to help them make sense of their feelings and change their behavior. 

Create a Moods and Feelings Board

Speaking of helping your students understand their feelings, creating a moods and feelings board gives your students an outlet for expressing themselves. 

Use poster or foam board to pin a whole list of words that illustrate feelings. Pinning words like angry, sad, and frustrated can help your students identify bigger feelings that may seem confusing at first. Use more words the older your students are; younger students can use fewer. 

Once your students have the vocabulary they need to express their emotions, it will allow them to open up about their feelings with others. 

Use Art and Stress Toys

Fidget and stress toys, such as fidget spinners and stress balls,  allow students to take their anger and frustration out on objects and ground themselves. This will help them to get to a point where they want to open up about their feelings.

Alternatively, this is a good time to have your students channel their frustrations into a creative endeavor. Provide them with play dough, water colors, or crayons and give them time in your classroom’s cooling-off area to create something. Using art to channel their feelings will teach them a different approach to coping with their anger. 

Shop books about anger and frustration for your class below! You can find all books and activities at The Teacher Store.