Some call it a calming station, calming corner, or pause place.  Whatever the name, it's a helpful tool for helping students regulate emotions. Our guests explain how the stations work, how to set one up, and the essential key to using them effectively.

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Mary Karapetian Alvord, Ph.D., is a psychologist and director of Alvord, Baker & Associates, LLC, located in Rockville and Silver Spring, Maryland. She specializes in individual and group treatment of anxiety disorders in children and adults, and ADHD and problems of emotional and behavioral regulation in children and teens. Dr. Alvord holds a position as Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavior Sciences at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, where she supervises psychiatry fellows in cognitive-behavioral therapy. With more than 35 years of experience.

Marie Weller has over 30 years of experience in education and has recently retired after serving 17 years as an elementary school counselor in central Ohio. As a school counselor, she worked with many teachers to incorporate calming corners (Pause Places) into their classrooms. This experience led her (and her principal) to co-author the Cranium Critters picture book series for elementary students. The books feature Scout, the brain's safety pup, and Einstein the wise owl, who work together to teach children (and adults) how the brain works and offer ideas for creating and using Pause Place tools in the classroom or at home. More information about Cranium Critters can be found on their website craniumkidsmedia.com.  

Jennifer Orr has been an elementary school classroom teacher for more than two decades, teaching kindergartners through fifth graders. She is the author of Demystifying Discussion: How to Teach and Assess Academic Conversation Skills, K-5 and the coauthor of We’re Gonna Keep on Talking: How to Lead Meaningful Race Conversations in the Elementary Classroom. She is a National Board Certified Teacher, a Teacher Consultant with the Northern Virginia Writing Project, and a frequent mentor to new and pre-service teachers.