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| In
the Classroom: Helping Kids Help Themselves
Self-regulation includes a child’s ability to control his or her thoughts, responses and actions. Evidence suggests that the ability to self-regulate during the early years of life is related to self-control in later childhood and throughout life. It also appears to contribute to social skills and school success. There are many ways early education teachers and caregivers can foster the development of self-regulation in children, depending on the age and developmental level of the child: Infants — Infants need consistent routines that help them learn about signals, like when it is time to sleep or eat. Learning these signals helps the baby regulate his or her own level of stimulation. Responsive interactions with infants, like games of peek-a-boo, teach infants that their actions and behaviors can influence others and the world around them. Toddlers — Toddlers are at a stage where they are becoming more active and independent and they are starting to use language. You can encourage self-regulation by modeling positive behavior like sharing and taking turns, and by using positive words with children. You should take time to explain to children the reasoning behind and the effects of using positive behavior (e.g. "When we share, everyone gets a chance.") Preschool and Kindergarten Children — By the preschool years children are developing more control over their interactions with others and are able to follow more complex directions and rules. You can support this growing self-regulation by letting children have choices among appropriate activities (e.g. the choice between playing in the dramatic play area or working in the painting/art area) and by encouraging children to solve problems (e.g. encouraging children to share their feelings before acting out aggressively). Source:
For
more information on this topic: Facts in Action, May 2000 |
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