How Special Education Students Can Benefit From an Adapted ’Circle of Control’

A high school special education teacher explains how a simple visual prompt became an indispensable part of her classroom.

By Donna Phillips

Edutopia

February 7, 2025

In her February 7, 2025, article "How Special Education Students Can Benefit From an Adapted 'Circle of Control'," high school special education teacher Donna Phillips shares a practical strategy to help students manage disruptions and build resilience. She introduces an adapted version of Stephen Covey's "circle of control" concept, tailored to meet the unique needs of her students.

Understanding the Circle of Control

Originally presented by Stephen Covey in "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," the circle of control is a framework designed to help individuals focus their energy on aspects of life they can influence, rather than those beyond their control. Covey's model comprises three concentric circles:

1. Circle of Control: Encompasses elements directly within an individual's influence, such as personal actions and responses.

2. Circle of Influence: Includes factors one can affect indirectly, like relationships and community interactions.

3. Circle of Concern: Encompasses broader issues beyond one's direct influence, such as global events or others' behaviors.

Phillips recognized that while this model is insightful, its complexity might be challenging for her special education students. She sought to simplify it, making it more accessible and actionable.

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Adapting the Concept for Special Education

To make the circle of control concept more relatable, Phillips distilled it into two primary categories:

• Within Your Control: Actions, words, and choices an individual can directly manage.

• Beyond Your Control: Others' actions, unexpected changes, and external events like the weather.

This binary framework empowers students to pause and assess situations, fostering a shift from feeling overwhelmed to identifying actionable steps they can take.

Implementing the Strategy in the Classroom

Phillips employed a three-step approach to integrate this adapted circle of control into her teaching:

1. Simplified Language: She used clear, straightforward questions: "What can you control?" and "What can't you control?" This clarity helped students quickly grasp the concept.

2. Visual and Hands-On Tools: Recognizing the importance of visual learning, Phillips collaborated with her students to create tangible models. They drew circles on paper, listing controllable factors inside and uncontrollable ones outside. This exercise provided a physical reference for students during moments of distress.

3. Consistent Reinforcement: Whenever students faced challenges, Phillips prompted them with, "Is that something you can control?" Over time, this consistent questioning encouraged students to internalize the process, enabling them to independently navigate their reactions.

Observing Positive Outcomes

The introduction of the adapted circle of control yielded notable improvements:

• Managing Sensory Overload: Students who previously shut down during unexpected events, like fire drills, learned coping mechanisms such as covering their ears and waiting calmly.

• Navigating Peer Interactions: Instead of reacting emotionally to unkind remarks, students began employing strategies like walking away or requesting a break.

• Adapting to Change: When faced with unforeseen alterations to plans, students demonstrated resilience. For instance, upon the cancellation of an outdoor activity due to rain, a student remarked, "We can't change the weather," showcasing acceptance and adaptability.

Guidelines for Educators

For educators interested in implementing this approach, Phillips offers the following recommendations:

1. Introduce the Concept Clearly: Use simple language to define what students can and cannot control.

2. Utilize Visual Aids: Develop reusable tools, such as laminated circles or classroom charts, to serve as constant reminders.

3. Encourage Reflective Practices: Prompt students to consider past situations where applying the circle of control could have been beneficial, reinforcing its practical application.

4. Maintain Consistency: Regularly incorporate prompts like, "Is that something you can control?" to help students internalize the concept, fostering independent application over time.

By adopting this adapted circle of control, educators can equip special education students with a straightforward, effective tool to manage their emotions and reactions, promoting resilience and a sense of empowerment in the face of daily challenges.

Source: Phillips, Donna. "How Special Education Students Can Benefit From an Adapted 'Circle of Control'." Edutopia, 7 Feb. 2025. https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-special-education-students-can....

Original Article

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com