What does self-regulation mean?

As grown-ups, when we become overwhelmed with emotion, we usually understand that we need to take a break and do something that relaxes us. We might not know that we’re doing it, but in the process of taking a step back and calming our anger or stopping ourselves from becoming emotional, we are regulating our emotions.

Children, however, don’t often understand that they sometimes might need to remove themselves from a situation or take a break. Instead, this is something that they learn and possibly take with them as they get older.

Why self-regulation can be beneficial to pupils

• Regulate reactions — Some children, particularly those who struggle with their behaviour, can react negatively to different situations, due to the emotions they stir. For example, if a child is stuck on their work, they may become frustrated and tear their work. This impulsive behaviour can be managed with self-regulation strategies.

• Calm excitement — It’s always nice when children are excited about something, but sometimes they can become overexcited. Self-regulation can help children to relax and enjoy themselves without getting overwhelmed.
• Improve their learning — When children can self-regulate their emotions and control their impulses, they can focus more clearly on schoolwork or other activities. This is an important step in getting the most out of their education and developing crucial skills.

At Minster-in-Sheppey Primary School, we feel it is important to support our pupils to learn how to self-regulate. To support this we use a number of strategies including our Emotional Barometers, emotional coaching and restorative conversations and discrete teaching.

In each classroom we have developed regulation stations and model with the pupils how to use these. We also display in our classrooms Self-Regulation posters linked to sadness, anger and fear.  These posters share how these feelings can look and feel, triggers and strategies to help.

We also trach discrete self-regulation lessons to our pupils, to enable them to further explore their emotional responses and consider how to support themselves when their feelings become too big and feel unmanageable.