Self-regulation

There is growing research about self-regulation, how good self-regulation has positive academic and social outcomes, and how it can be developed. Children learn to regulate in 3 main areas: thoughts, feelings, and behavior. An important key to the development of these critical skills is watching and responding to adults' self-regulation. Further, the environment at home and school ideally is warm, organized, and predictable to develop self-regulation. Self- regulation requires forethought, performance, and self-reflection from both the adults and children. There are many programs like the Committee for Children's Revised Second Step or Conscious Discipline (I Can Calm and Shubert series) that can help a school promote self-regulation.  Resources for counselors include "Helping Young People Learn Self-Regualtion" (Chapin) and "Hunter and His Amazing Remote Control" (Copeland).  There are also children's books like Zach Gets Frustrated and Millie Fierce (Manning) that can be used in individual, small group, or classroom lessons. We run groups in K-4 to teach self-regulation and do a lesson in every grade on this important topic.  Out schoolwide Responsive Classroom approach is also aimed at this important concept. One new resource I found was a site that has songs that promote self-regulation, check it out growing-sound.com