Latest News Inside the Volcano: Helping Students Manage Their Emotions If you’ve ever watched a student erupt in frustration or shut down entirely, you’ve probably asked yourself: what’s really going on beneath the surface? At School of Hard Knocks (SOHK), we work with secondary school-age individuals every day who are struggling to process complex emotions. Some act out. Others withdraw. Many don’t yet have the language or tools to explain what they’re feeling – let alone manage it. That’s why one of our most effective tools is something we call “My Volcano”. A visual language for big emotions The concept is simple but powerful: inside every young person is a volcano. Small triggers – being shouted at, feeling excluded, receiving unfair treatment – start to bubble away under the surface. If that pressure isn’t released in a healthy way, it builds. Eventually, it erupts. For some students, that eruption might look like shouting, swearing, walking out of class or throwing a chair. For others, it might mean shutting down completely. Either way, the internal experience is the same – overwhelming emotions with no clear exit route. SOHK’s “Volcano” gives a student a way to recognise and name what’s happening inside them. It removes blame, it creates space, and crucially, it helps them take ownership of their responses. Finding the raindrops Alongside the volcano, we introduce the idea of “raindrops” – personalised calming strategies that help cool things down before an eruption. These might include: Going to a quiet space for five minutes Talking to a trusted adult Listening to music Using grounding or breathing techniques Journalling or drawing Simply recognising and naming the emotion. When students create their own raindrop list, they’re more likely to use it. It becomes part of their personal toolkit – something they can access independently, in or out of school. Why this matters in school Many of the students we work with experience emotional dysregulation. That might stem from trauma, anxiety, ADHD, social pressures or home life instability. But no matter the cause, the behaviours often land in school. By helping students identify what’s going on inside their volcano, we’re not excusing poor behaviour – we’re giving them the tools to change it. We’ve seen remarkable progress in students who learn to self-regulate. One young person recently told us she’d started using her raindrops at home when she felt herself spiralling. A week later, she was calmer, more focused, and even excelled at a weekend rugby tournament. The tools work – not because they’re magic, but because they’re understood and practiced consistently. Not just for students “My Volcano” isn’t limited to one-to-one sessions or small group work. We’ve shared it with school staff and parents too. In some cases, it’s been used to develop support plans that include proactive de-escalation strategies. When an individual is involved in shaping their plan, they’re far more likely to engage with it. Teachers often tell us it helps them see the student differently – not as a problem to be fixed, but as a young person learning how to cope. Building a culture of emotional awareness Ultimately, tools like “My Volcano” do more than manage behaviour. They build emotional literacy. They help students connect thoughts, feelings and actions. And they help develop the kind of self-awareness that underpins lifelong resilience. At no point do we try to stop the volcano entirely. This technique is about helping students notice when the heat is rising – and giving them the means to cool it down before things boil over. In a world that’s increasingly fast, loud and overwhelming, that might be one of the most valuable lessons we can teach. Are they coming to mind now? All those times when you witnessed an eruption - or experienced your own. You're not alone. We've all experienced them at some point in our lives – and there are ways forward. That's why SOHK exists – to help guide the young people of today towards positive change through our SOHK Schools Programme. Learn more about our schools programme here.