Apps for #Self-Regulation: Breathing Zone App

In the world of educational technology, we often focus our attention on websites and apps that focus on creativity and  assessment; however, what about technologies that can help students with self-regulating their behavior?

Self Regulation: 

When we think of the term self-regulation, we often think that students with learning disabilities or emotional difficulties; however, self-regulation refers to the strategies and tools that we can provide students to manage their behavior, set goals, and even self-reflect.

Yoga in School? 

Several years ago, I was introduced to the story of an elementary school in Chicago, who had a significant number of discipline problems - especially after lunch. The principal began to have her students practice Yoga breathing techniques in the morning and after lunch. Ironically, discipline problems were reduced significantly.

This example made me think about the power of teaching students breathing and relaxation techniques as a coping mechanism; however, we often do not have the time to do so.

Breathing Zone App:

Although there are many different apps that teach breathing, I have come to like the Breathing Zone App on the iTunes and Google Play stores. It provides you with a simplistic interface makes it easy to utilize. This App combines customized voice commands (or vibration) with graphics, to help you focus on simple breathing techniques. Anyone can learn how to use it from elementary school to high school to even adults.

There are also tools embedded into the App, which customize the amount of time you spend practicing and track your breathing goals. This is the perfect tool for helping students cope with stress, manage their behavior, and even help with test anxiety.

Normally I do not promote paid Apps, but this is a good one! If you are tight on funds, there are many free alternatives on the iTunes store too.