How Context and Biology Shape Student Behavior with Lisa Riegel

Discover how biology, stress, and environment shape children’s behavior and why nervous system regulation matters more than compliance. Join Giselle Shardlow, founder of Kids Yoga Stories, and Lisa Riegel, founder of the Educational Partnerships Institute and creator of the NeuroWell framework, as they explore the neuroscience behind student behavior and how yoga, mindfulness, movement, and emotionally safe environments help children regulate, connect, and learn. Some highlights: • Why behavior is the intersection of biology and context • Understanding “Harold,” “Bob,” and “Trixie” and how the brain responds to stress • What happens in the nervous system when children feel unsafe or overwhelmed • Why many classrooms unintentionally create stress for students • Simple ways adults can co-regulate with children throughout the day • The power of transitions, movement, and “micro moments” of regulation • Why positive routines and emotionally safe environments matter for learning • How yoga and mindfulness help children build self-awareness and self-regulation • Why schools need to shift from content-first to child-first approaches Find Lisa Riegel here: Website: https://educationalpartnerships.org LinkedIn:   / lisa-riegel   Timestamp: 00:00 How biology and context shape student behavior 02:40 Understanding stress, safety, and the nervous system 06:10 Why children move quickly from calm to alarm 07:54 How context and media influence children’s stress responses 10:21 Why adult regulation matters first 12:14 Simple “micro moments” for self-regulation 13:39 Looking at children as puzzles, not problems 14:29 Helping children transition with “fizzy and flat” 18:43 Regulating ourselves before responding to behavior 19:31 Helping children recognize joy and positive emotions 21:40 Creating emotionally safe learning environments 30:05 Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-control 32:23 Learning sprints and brain breaks in schools 34:10 Shifting from behavior management to regulation 37:56 Child-first approaches in classrooms 39:19 Why some children simply need rest ************* For more resources on kids yoga: To design a customized yoga program at your school, check out the School Yoga Program here: https://www.kidsyogastories.com/schoo... Or join our Kids Yoga Stories newsletter for weekly kids yoga resources: https://www.kidsyogastories.com/sign-... ❤️WELCOME to the Kids Yoga Stories YouTube channel! We’re thrilled that you’re here. We provide a variety of free resources to help you bring yoga and mindfulness to kids. Whether you’re a teacher, parent, school counselor, yoga teacher, or school staff we have something for everyone including free videos, printables, teaching resources (available here and on our site), and a shop with 150+ yoga and mindfulness products for kids! SUBSCRIBE to the channel and join our global movement to help bring yoga and mindfulness to children everywhere!    / kidsyogastories   😌 Free How to Get Started Teaching Yoga to Children Mini-Course Are you looking to bring yoga to children but don’t know where to start? Our community is always asking for tips about teaching yoga to kids. In this series, Giselle shares her philosophy by detailing four steps to teaching to children, which are based on her experience as a certified yoga teacher, former primary school teacher, and mom. This series will focus on a mindset of “being” a kids yoga facilitator. We have to start from a strong foundation of our own yoga practice to make our yoga teachings authentic and meaningful for the children. This four-part video series will get you started and have you confidently teaching yoga to children today. Find it Here: https://shop.kidsyogastories.com/coll... 🧘🏽‍♂️🧘‍♀️🧘🏿‍♀️ Kids Yoga Stories, a mom-run and mom-operated business, was founded in 2012 by former classroom teacher and certified yoga instructor Giselle Shardlow. During her travels and time teaching grades kindergarten through fifth grade in Guatemala, Australia, Canada, and the United States, Giselle witnessed the need to address childhood illiteracy, obesity, and stress. She blended her passions of yoga, mindfulness, and education to create books, card decks, and educational resources to provide classroom teachers, school staff, coaches, and parents with the tools to bring yoga and mindfulness to children everywhere. Connect with us: Facebook:   / kidsyogastories   Instagram:   / kidsyogastories   Website: https://www.kidsyogastories.com/ Shop: https://shop.kidsyogastories.com/ Amazon: www.amazon.com/kidsyogastories The Kids Wellness Podcast: https://www.kidsyogastories.com/TKWP