Mastering the Art of Self-Regulation: A Guide for Teachers

Mastering the Art of Self-Regulation: A Guide for Teachers

Ever feel like you’re juggling a million tasks while trying to keep a room full of energetic students engaged? Yep, we get it! That’s why mastering the art of self-regulation isn’t just for our students—it’s a game-changer for us too. If we want children to be on task, remain on task and back on task, integrating self-regulation strategies is the only way to go. 

Self-Regulation 

Regulation refers to the ability to manage and control one's emotions, behaviours, and reactions.Think about it: when students are calm, focused, and in control of their emotions, our teaching game is on point and the children are actually listening to us! 

It’s important to note that when we say regulation - it’s usually split into two categories: behavioural self-regulation and emotional self-regulation. But what’s the difference?

Behavioural Self-Regulation

Allows us to feel one way but act another. This encourages children to act in their long-term interests, making decisions now that will positively impact their future selves. 

Emotional Self-Regulation

 Involves the control of your emotions. This may look like a child talking themselves out of a bad mood or calming themselves down when they feel angry. 

Overall, it’s super important that we promote both behavioural and emotional regulation.Every child faces unique challenges when it comes to self-regulation. These may include difficulty impulsivity, distractibility or managing emotions. Recognizing these challenges allows educators to offer targeted support and strategies.

I picture it as an internal thermostat that helps us stay balanced, focused and disciplined despite the challenges we face. Implementing these techniques supports children to make healthy choices, even when they have a strong desire to do the opposite - like eating cake for breakfast. It sounds like a great idea, but we all know doing this regularly is probably not the best decision for our future selves. 

Be the Start of the Show: Role Modelling 

Educators serve as role models for their students, showing vulnerability and sharing personal experience make us more relatable. This openness can foster trust and encourage students to seek guidance when needed. It can look, sound or feel like this,

“Hey class, I’m feeling really stressed this morning - I didn’t get a good night’s sleep and I skipped breakfast this morning, is it okay if I just take 5-minutes outside to do some deep breathing? You can join me, if you like.” 

If you narrate how you feel everyday, with a variety of emotions, and follow this up with healthy strategies or techniques on how you're managing those emotions - your class will start to utilise the same techniques you are demonstrating. Show them how you want them to behave without ‘teaching’ it.

Integrating Mindfulness

Incorporating mindfulness into daily routines and circle times can help students develop self-awareness and focus. Simple breathing exercises, mindfulness activities or fun personalised welcome greetings can set a positive tone for the day. These practices allow students to feel valued and supported - adapted to meet the needs of diverse learners and promote a sense of belonging. A personal favourite of mine is creating a class mantra, something the children can scream, shout, whisper or sing that creates a sense of belonging and connection that immediately creates a safe and open environment for emotions. 

Self-Regulation Resources

I could write a whole other blog just listing fun, child-friendly self-regulation resources. My absolute top must-have is a journal. It’s the circuit breaker that every human needs. You name it - it can be used in all situations, for example, after a social conflict in the playground, an accident at home, following a highly emotional state or even just taking a moment of gratitude after a happy day. It provides an opportunity to bring clarity to a situation and time to slow down to control it and express them appropriately. Twinkl offers so many social and emotional resources, my favourites being the fidget toy design worksheets which are super cool, the visual timetable resources, social skills scenario cards and the feelings volcano to enhance those reflective moments. Mindful Mushkins books offer engaging stories and activities that teach children valuable self-regulation skills in a fun and relatable way - introducing cool concepts like mindfulness, grit, gratitude and all those juicy learning dispositions we need to thrive. 

Social Skills Instruction and Conflict Resolution

Teaching social skills and conflict resolution strategies equips students with the tools they need to interact positively with others. Children will have AT LEAST 5 conflicts a day with their peers, family or trusted adults, which is why it is so important that they have the skills to handle difficult situations. Role-playing scenarios and discussions can reinforce these - introducing empathy, compassion and skills that make good humans, it not only helps socially, but increases focus and engagement in academic capacities.

Positive Reinforcement

EFFORT VS TALENT - we all know who wins in the end but why don’t we praise it enough? Praising effort and failures encourages a growth mindset, motivating students to persevere, learn from challenges and maintain a positive attitude towards learning. A simple weekly certificate for the ‘Most Failures’ followed by a discussion of what they have learnt can solidify this concept quickly and easily. 

Collaboration with Parents

Working closely with parents ensures a consistent approach to self-regulation at home and school. Regular communication and sharing of strategies can reinforce learning and support children's development - let them in on your top tips, your self-regulation secrets because everyone needs to be on the same page! 

Self-regulation is a vital skill for children's emotional and academic success. This isn't another lesson plan, or an additional part of the curriculum to squeeze in. All of this self-regulation stuff should be small everyday things you can easily integrate into your delivery, routine or environment. Together, we can empower children with the skills they need for a lifetime of emotional well-being.

By Isabelle Russell

Founder and Facilitator of Mindful Mushkins 

May 2024