Taming the Lion & Unlocking the Calm
We all recognize March as the month that comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Roaring winds yield to gentle breezes.
This past Sunday in Texas, it was 89 degrees with a teasing spring breeze. By 5 p.m., winds raged at 35 mph and temperatures plunged to 60. Overnight fury gave way to calm by morning—the sting gone.
That sudden shift mirrors our students’ emotion storms that can erupt just as quickly in the classroom.
In classrooms, emotions don’t knock politely. They storm in like a lion—roaring, claws out, hijacking well planned lessons with the potential to blow the roof off if we aren’t prepared. One moment: focused math. Next: explosion, meltdown, chaos. Hearts pound. Voices rise. Learning vanishes.
It’s not bad behavior. It’s a cortisol storm in full force.
The Cortisol Storm That Rages
When strong emotions build, a student’s brain sounds the alarm. The amygdala lights up, cortisol floods the system, blood pressure rises, and the rational prefrontal cortex steps aside. It feels like a lion is loose in your classroom because—biologically—it is. The student is in full storm-mode and fight-flight-freeze is in control. The raging storm means one student has the wind power to blow the entire class off track.
Preparing for Pop-Up Storms and High Winds
Similar to the sudden storms March is known for, big emotions strike like pop-up storms and high winds—without warning. Preparation is everything. Teach, prompt, and practice a Stay Calm Plan so you can watch the weather patterns like a seasoned weather anchor, spot incoming storms early, and weatherproof your classroom with calm prompts and modeling.
When the winds start to build, a simple, calm prompt is often all it takes to keep the whole class on track. Then guide students to use Name it, Claim it, Tame it to avoid storms altogether or tame the lion before it takes over:
- Name it (label the emotion) – “I’m super mad and my body feels like it’s on fire.”
- Claim it (acknowledge the response) – “Yes, this is my body’s way of protecting me right now.”
- Tame it (apply a Stay Calm strategy) – Quick options like straw breaths, squeezing a stress ball, or 10 wall pushes.
Storms will come—emotions are part of life—but with this approach, your classroom can be weather-proof. The lion may roar, but it will quickly settle into a lamb, keeping the whole room calm, focused, and ready to learn. The result? Fewer disruptions, more learning time, and students who feel calm and in control.
March proves it every year: roaring lions yield to gentle lambs. Your students’ emotions can do the same. Your classroom can too—just like the wild Texas weather this weekend.
Next time the lion threatens to roar, remember the plan: Name it. Claim it. Tame it.
The lion will leave. The lamb will arrive. That’s the real learning. That’s the capable classroom you’re building.
If you want the full science, ready-to-use classroom scripts, and brain-training exercises that turn emotional chaos into calm confidence, pick up Brainwashed.
