Article from the Journal of Applied Self-Regulation
By Lisa Cranston (EdD) & Madison Babula (ECE; DSW)
What is Self-Regulation, and Why is it Important?
Self-regulation is a term used widely in education and popular media, yet there is some confusion about what self-regulation means. Different authors use the term self-regulation to mean different things, with one study categorizing over 600 definitions for self-regulation in the literature (Burman, Green & Shanker, 2015). This article uses Shanker’s (2020, p.1) definition: self-regulation refers to “how people manage stress, how much energy we expend and how well we recover. Self-regulation involves learning to recognize and respond to stress in all its many facets, positive as well as negative, hidden as well as overt, minor as well as traumatic or toxic.”
There is substantial evidence that children’s early experiences have implications for lifelong physical and mental health and well-being (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2007; Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, 2013; Ontario Ministry of Education, 2017; The Ontario Kindergarten Program, 2016). Chronic stress in early childhood is associated with persistent effects on the nervous system and the hormone systems that can damage the developing brain and lead to lasting problems in learning and behaviour (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2007). Self-regulation helps a child effectively deal with stressors and recover so that they are calm and ready to learn. Because self-regulation is key to children’s long-term physical, behavioural and educational well-being (Blair & Diamond, 2008; Bodrova & Leong, 2007; Florez, 2011; Shanker, 2013) many school boards and districts around the globe require their educators to teach, assess and report on students’ development of self-regulation skills.
There is much that educators can do to support children’s development of self-regulation including reducing stressors in the classroom…
