Self-Regulation Skills in the Classroom
Self-regulation skills are important for children to learn because it is the ability to be self-aware and to understand that they are in control of their choices, emotions, and behaviors. Educators can have a significant impact on how children learn self-regulation skills. The first activity that teachers can implement is cooperative game play, by providing situations where cooperative gameplay is a must, students have the opportunity to practice skills such as waiting for turns, how to manage their emotions if they do not win, while also learning problem solving skills. Another way teachers encourage self-regulation skills is to build relationships with their students, have frequent conversations about emotions, and daily check ins with students about how they are feeling and how to manage their feelings and emotions. "When these relationships are in place, student behavior will improve, and students will be more likely to respond to SEL instruction" (Kaspar & Massey, 2023).
