This summer, I once again took on the role as coordinator for Camp Power and Camp CLIMB. In this role, I get to oversee multiple sites, and work with both instructors and students: programming and planning with a special emphasis on literacy and math. While I love all...

Aviva Dunsiger
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Finding Ways To Be ALONE And TOGETHER: A Look At Restoring Energy
In October of this past school year, I started a new position as a Reading Specialist. While I knew that I brought with me a set of skills that would be beneficial in this role, I also thought about one bigger area of need that I would have to make a priority ... and...
Sharing Kind Sentiments: Unexpected Co-Reg In Action
We only have a couple of weeks of school left, and as the school year comes to an end, stress seems to increase for both educators and students. Maybe it's the massive To Do lists. Maybe it's the change in routines. Maybe it's the uncertainty about the summer and the...
Doing Hard Things: A Look At Positive Stress & Self-Reg
The more that I read and the more that I learn about Self-Reg, the more that I see it through all of my interactions, decisions, and experiences each day. This is a story about doing hard things, with the help of Co-regulation and Self-Reg. How It Started Recently, a...
A Self-Reg Approach To Class Building
As we start the month of May, it's almost class building season in elementary education. This is a long process, and there are many different factors involved in creating classes for a new school year. This is the first year that my role in class building is different...
What Are Your Choices for Self-Reg?
March Break is coming to an end. Just like Doug Peterson, it's one of my favourite holidays. I've definitely enjoyed the time to read, relax, nap, sleep in, walk the dog, and connect with some family and friends. It's now the weekend in lead-up to going back, and I...
Planning For Professional Development: What Happens When We Start With Self-Reg?
Friday is a Professional Development Day. The whole day is focused on school-based priorities, which also includes a focus on reading instruction. With a Snow Day on Thursday, followed by a Reading Specialist Meeting at the Board Office on Friday, I was glad that I...
Self-Reg For Dogs? A Story of Stress and Success.
Self-Reg has continued to impact on my life and in my practices: resulting in positive changes in both my personal and professional life. Usually though, when I blog about my Self-Reg aha's, they are in regards to my experiences as an educator and with other people....
“I Like You!”: A Self-Reg Look At Relationships
I had an unexpected epiphany on the last week of school before the Winter Break. It made me think a lot about self-regulation, co-regulation, and ultimately, what students might need the most from us. Where It All Began ... As you can imagine, there were many...
How Do You Change A Trajectory? Duty Woes Through A Self-Reg Lens.
A story for you about a trajectory needing to be changed A few weeks ago, I was on duty outside when a student came to me with a problem. She was really upset about how another student in her class responded to her. This student said that her classmate knows that...
Reading & Relationships: A Self-Reg View of My New Job
I've always known reading and relationships go hand in hand. My recent experience at my new job has reinforced this in such a concrete way! I just started a new position as a Reading Specialist. This position is an interesting one, as it can look slightly different at...
Lunchroom Monitors: A Self-Reg Approach
Over the years, I've taught at lots of schools that have lunchroom monitors -- particularly for the primary grades. Usually these monitors oversee the eating times. In my past experiences, many monitors like to tell homeroom teachers about the problems that surface...
Building relationships: A Self-Reg look at who’s NOT involved
Building relationships is at the very heart of Self-Reg. This summer, I have a position that's similar to my one from previous years, except that instead of being a Site Lead, I'm now a coordinator for the Board's summer camp programs. I still get to spend my time...
Outdoor Play Routine: Did Self-Reg Make A Difference?
Recently, I met with an educator from a different school to talk about all things kindergarten. We ended up speaking a lot about Self-Reg and outdoor play. I began to tell this teacher about some recent changes to our outdoor routine. I didn't really think about the...
Self-Reg Self-Control Connection: Reflecting On A School Play
This week, we attended our first assembly in over two years. A group of intermediate students, with the support of our music teacher, put on a performance of Peter Pan. All classes got to go. The play was about 45 minutes. Some might argue that students demonstrated...
Co-Regulation, Friendship, & A Tale Of Two Dogs
Let it be over! As many blog readers know, I'm a dog person. For over 30 years, I've always had at least one dog at my house. Usually I've had two, and for a small amount of time, I've even had three. Dogs, like other pets, truly become part of the family and can be...
What Might Co-Regulation Make Possible?
Co-regulation and Connections While I usually reflect the most on Self-Reg, this past week, a combination of experiences have me thinking more about co-regulation. It all started when Mr. Cumming began his ECE Field Placement in our class. He'll be joining our class...
A Self-Reg Look At The “Return To Normal” After March Break
A Different Back-to-School Tomorrow we go back to school after a week-long March Break. Tomorrow will be the first time that we'll be heading back to school after March Break in two years. Along with this return, there's also a decrease in many COVID restrictions,...