The Resilient Youth: State of the Nation Report 2024 (Australia) found that only 18% of primary and 16% of secondary students reported having a “ready to learn” mindset when they entered school. Ready to learn refers to having the mental clarity, emotional stability, and engagement needed to fully participate in classroom learning. This report is administered to over 149,000 students across 800 schools in all Australian states and territories and captures key measures like mental health, school engagement and resilience.

Until our kids can answer “Am I safe?”, learning is on pause. By safe we aren’t just talking about physical safety. We are talking about emotional and relational safety too. According to Bruce Perry, and decades of research that support a bottom up approach to learning, our students need to “Regulate → Relate → and then Reason” their way to education. Our presence is a big part of kids and teens shedding their worries, finding their calm and settling for the day.

How we greet and use the first 10 minutes of our classroom time can truly make a difference and set the tone for the rest of the day. They are our early cues. A warm, attuned greeting at the door can begin the co-regulation process, even for dysregulated children.

For some students, your presence is enough to shift them into a calmer state within seconds. They might be mildly dysregulated, and a few seconds to a few minutes of attuned interaction may begin calming the nervous system.

For others, especially those with trauma or heightened sensitivity, co-regulation takes longer and requires repeated relational cues over time, often through proximity, tone, and patience across the day. Multiple relational touchpoints may be needed before a student reaches a calm, receptive state.

A door greeting isn’t everything—but it’s something powerful. It’s a first tether point. It says, “You matter. You’re safe. I’m here.” That alone can begin softening the edges of a rough start. Think of it as a spark, not the whole fire.

This article hopes to offer seven practical reminders to help classroom teachers start their day with the adult presence kids need. While some are more suited to primary school classrooms, many can be used in high school or adapted for the high school setting.

Be a Predictable, Visible Presence

What to do: Stand in the same place each morning, at the door or in a consistent spot in the room.

Why it matters: When teachers are reliably present, it signals safety to the students’ brains. They don’t need to search for security. You’ve already showing up and setting the tone.

Greet Every Child, Personally

What to do: Offer a greeting using student’s name, eye contact and a gesture of their choice, like a fist pump, handshake, side hug, or wave.

Why it matters: Offering choice communicates respect and helps students feel in control of their own bodies, critical for autonomy, especially in a school setting where many things aren’t optional. Name recognition activates brain regions linked to identity and belonging. Eye contact engages the mirror neuron system, strengthening empathy. Touch (with consent) boosts oxytocin, a hormone that deepens trust and emotional connection.

Optional addition to the morning check-in station. Use emojis, colour cards, or a feelings scale to let kids show how they’re arriving. This is a non-verbal window into how their day started and who might need extra support.

Play A Class Theme Song

What to do: Co-write a class anthem using a tool like Suno AI or Soundtrap. Let students help shape the lyrics around classroom values or shared identity. Play it each morning as kids enter or settle.

Why it matters: Music activates multiple brain regions at once, increasing emotion regulation and group cohesion. When students co-create it, it deepens ownership and collective identity.

Include Latecomers

What to do: Don’t let late arrivals go unnoticed. Greet them warmly, using their name, even mid-lesson. Then gently include them at the next possible transition or group moment.

Why it matters: Acknowledgement reduces shame and rebuilds connection after separation, helping students reintegrate into the group more smoothly.

Ease Into The Day

What to do: A morning transition signals that students don’t have to perform yet but just arrive. Try saying, “Your brain is just catching up with your body. Let’s help it settle in.” The point is stillness and there should be no pressure for students to share in these activities, as this will cause some students’ stress. You might use

  • Musical Mindset Cue: Play 20 seconds of a class-selected calming track. Invite silence while it plays. Give a different calming sound each day (rain, cello, slow jazz, a heartbeat drum).
  • Quiet Think Prompt – Invite students to write, draw, or think about one thing you noticed this morning.
  • Nature Moment: Play a short 30-second nature clip. It might be rain in the forest, surfing video, etc.
  • Arrive in Your Seat Rituals. Say, “Wiggle your fingers on the table. Plant your feet. Feel your chair. Take one breath just for you.”
  • Mindfulness exercises. There are some resources on Calm Kids Playlist by GoNoodle or Smiling Mind.


Why it matters:
Transitions are one of the hardest moments for students, especially those who are neurodivergent, anxious, or under stress. Rituals like these regulate the nervous system, improve focus, and boost classroom belonging. When repeated, they become anchors—especially for kids who rely on routine to feel safe.

Preview the Day + Invite Questions

What to do: Provide a simple visual or verbal overview of the day. Include known events and routines. Finish by asking: “Any questions? Anything you’re wondering about today?”

Why it matters: A preview reduces anxiety about unknowns. It activates the prefrontal cortex and creates a sense of safety through transparency and voice.

Use Proximity Throughout the First 10 Minutes

What to do: Move gently through the room. Offer smiles. Kneel down to eye level when engaging in conversation. Take special care with students who seem unsettled or disconnected.

Why it matters: Proximity builds relational closeness and safety, which in turn strengthens attention, motivation, and resilience.