This paper is set within the context of my experience as an educator as well as my learning experiences as a student in the Masters of Education program at Thompson Rivers University. In my roles as classroom teacher and administrator, I have worked with students, colleagues, administrators and parents. When I was embarking on my Bachelor of Education, I was in a self-regulation cohort of student teachers. At that time, I was unaware of its relevance to students. In my first classroom assignment, I was perplexed by the range of issues I witnessed. I was teaching Grades Two and Three students whose academic abilities ranged from Kindergarten to Grade Six levels. I was also struggling with meeting their social and emotional needs. I believe that is when my journey began to learn more about self-regulation and the strategies my students needed to promote continuous success in their lives. I have increasingly become more aware of the importance of teaching self-regulation skills to children in order that they may navigate the rapidly changing world. In this paper, I claim that all staff members must be knowledgeable and competent in self-regulation acquirement in order to contribute to student development of self-regulation. All adults must understand how to manage their affect, be attuned to themselves as well as those around them, be consistent in responses, and have routines and rituals. An application is a school-wide initiative which would involve all adults and give students a solid foundation to increase their abilities in this process. The implications of teaching students how to self-regulate will contribute to students’ successes as they are better able to manage their thoughts, emotions, and behaviours.
