STEP 2: Distinguishing Basic Emotions

Note to the trainer: Focus on the first stages of the RULER Method developed by Yale University. Deepen the “Understanding” stage to prevent staff from merely labelling children as “misbehaving” when observing them.

Method: Direct instruction and questions and answers.

Materials: Whiteboard.

Implementation steps:

1. Introduction to RULER: The trainer explains the foundations of the method as follows:

“To be able to manage children’s emotions, we need the first two stages of the RULER Method:

Recognising: Reading clues in the child’s facial expression, tone of voice and shoulders. If the child’s eyebrows are furrowed, we should quickly recognise that they are in the red zone; if their shoulders are slumped and they are looking at the ground, they are in the blue zone.

Understanding: Finding the reason for the emotion. Why is the child angry? Is it because a friend took the toy from their hand, or because the child has not slept enough? Understanding the cause enables us to respond appropriately.”

2. Trainer’s question: Ask participants: “When you have seen a child in the institution frowning (Recognising), what observations have you made in the past to find the real reason behind it (Understanding)?” Ask participants for two or three examples.