As learners reach the final stretch of our Self-Reg Foundations Certificate Program, they enter a phase of deep reflection and integration — where theory meets lived experience. Foundations Course 4 (The Shanker Self-Reg Method in Context) is more than a capstone course; it’s an invitation to apply Self-Reg in ways that truly transform. Through a personalized project, participants bring together their understanding of the five steps of Self-Reg, neuroscience, and dynamic systems theory to design real-world change that fosters hope, growth, and long-term well-being for themselves and those they support.
Whether in classrooms, clinics, homes, or personal journeys, Self-Reg equips learners to see behaviour through a new lens — one grounded in compassion, curiosity, and science. As our learners reflect on their growth and impact, the Foundations journey becomes not just a course, but a lifelong framework for thriving.
Rethinking ADHD
In this next reflection, one of our Self-Reg alumni — an experienced kindergarten teacher — shares how this learning has reshaped their understanding of ADHD. Their story captures what happens when we begin to view children’s challenges not as deficits or disorders to be fixed, but as stress responses to be understood. Through the Self-Reg lens, Stephanie explores what it means to create “safe havens” for young learners, challenge old paradigms, and truly support each child’s capacity to find calm, connection, and success.
From Managing Behaviour to Understanding Stress
Reflection by Self-Reg Foundations Certificate Program Learner, Stephanie
As a classroom elementary teacher, these all [Foundations Program resources] have relevance to my day to day interactions with children. I did land on one article – the article about ADHD.
In my 24 years of teaching, I feel that we are working with more and more children who come to school with or the parents are pursuing a diagnosis of ADHD. Since I teach kindergarten, attention and focus is something that we manage all the time with engaging in developmentally appropriate practices for teaching 3-5 year olds! However, we do have the occasional student where our instincts tell us there is more going on – that there could be something more neurodevelopmental. We will share our observations with parents but given the age of these students, we don’t ask them to pursue anything more than checking vision and hearing to rule out anything else.
I do think that the paradigm of how educators view ADHD is slow to change. I loved the question presented: Are we responding to a child’s neurodevelopmental deficits in a way that ultimately promotes his well-being or the opposite? We really need to look at how we (as educators) are supporting this student and the stressors in their world. This is when we really need to slow down, put on our detective hat and start reframing their behaviour and recognizing their stressors.
As educators we need to examine our own bias and this outdated ‘Victorian attitude‘ that the child needs to inhibit their impulses, make better choices or make more of an effort. It’s scary. We are not looking at ADHD the way we would look at other deficits – vision, hearing, physical etc. We need to start supporting these children to find their own level of calmness and make sure they feel ‘safe and secure’. I need to make sure as someone who is building a better understanding of Self-Reg that I am creating a ‘safe-haven‘ (such a beautiful word and environment we can create) for our youngest learners, but also helping my friends and colleagues to create their own safe-havens of their classrooms.
We need to continue to scaffold for these students what self-regulation is and can be for them most likely longer than we think is necessary. If we don’t do this in elementary school, the downstream effects will be massive.
Begin Your Self-Reg Learning Journey Today
Join us for our next facilitated cohort of our Self-Reg Foundations Certificate Program, with new start dates every few months. This learning is transformational, but don’t just take our word for it, read our hundreds of 5-star reviews:
“What truly stands out is the message that self-regulation is not about controlling others, but about understanding ourselves first. This course doesn’t just change how you see children—it changes how you see relationships, environments, and even your own responses to stress.”
– Avinash
I appreciated this self-regulation course. Although not inherently oriented to Indigenous people specifically, much of the content resonated with Indigenous ways of knowing. It was very beneficial.
– Charity
