This episode is for you if you are interested in learning more about the importance of self-regulation, about common myths or misperceptions about self-regulation, and why our job is critical in ensuring children’s success in school and of course in life.
Spoiler alert…here are a few of the myths I explore with guests Dr. Megan McClelland and Dr. Shauna Tominey:
- Children are either born with it or they’re not.
- Self-regulation develops naturally given time.
- Boys are always worse than girls at these types of skills.
- By the time children enter kindergarten, they should have the self-regulation skills they need for academic success.
Your take away is that the brain areas associated with self-regulation are malleable, and self-regulation can be practiced and strengthened!
As a bonus to this episode, you’ll learn more about how important it is to address development and learning from a whole child perspective, how to use their book, Stop, Think, Act to create embedded learning opportunities with evidenced-based interventions, and about a self-paced course they offer through Oregon State University called Red Light, Purple Light: A Self-Regulation Intervention Program.
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Click here to download the transcript for Episode 29.
The free download for Pre-K Teach & Play podcast episode 29 includes five evidence-based games designed to improve children’s self-regulation. The download comes in English and Spanish and the games can be played at home, at school, and in the community.
Resources mentioned during the episode:
Self-regulation snapshots: “Free snapshots for practitioners and educators to use for each of six developmental phases. Each snapshot provides a review of key concepts; a listing of the skills developing in that phase; an image of how co-regulation looks in that phase; a review of lessons learned about interventions to promote self-regulation; key considerations for promoting self-regulation in that phase, and more.”
Zero To Three: Many different resources for parents/caregivers, which include developmental milestones related to self-regulation. Click for a good example.
Duncan, R. J., Schmitt, S. A., Burke, M., & McClelland, M. M. (2018). Combining a kindergarten readiness summer program with a self-regulation intervention improves school readiness. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 42, 291-300. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2017.10.012
McClelland, M. M. & Cameron, C. E. (2018). Developing together: The role of executive function and motor skills in children’s early academic lives. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. doi: 0.1016/j.ecresq.2018.03.014
McClelland, M. M., Tominey, S. L., Schmitt, S.A., & Duncan, R. (2017). Social-emotional learning interventions in early childhood. Future of Children, 27(1), 33-48. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/44219020
McClelland, M. M. & Tominey, S. L. (2015). Stop, think, act: Integrating self-regulation in the early childhood classroom. London, UK: Taylor & Francis. (available for purchase at: https://www.amazon.com/Stop-Think-Act-Integrating-Self-Regulation-ebook/dp/B014KS6IA8)
- Stop, Think, Act (Goodreads review of the book)
Schmitt, S. A., McClelland, M. M., Tominey, S. L., & Acock, A. C. (2015). Strengthening school readiness for Head Start children: Evaluation of a self-regulation intervention. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 30, Part A(0), 20-31. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2014.08.001
Tominey, S. & McClelland, M. M. (2013). Quantitative and qualitative factors related to the effectiveness of a preschool behavioral regulation intervention. National Head Start Association Dialog, 16(3), 21-44. (Available here)
Tominey, S. L., & McClelland, M. M. (2011). Red light, purple light: Findings from a randomized trial using circle time games to improve behavioral self-regulation in preschool. Early Education & Development, 22(3), 489 – 519. (Available here)
More activities to teach self-regulation – infancy to adolescence [link]
Information about a course offered by Drs. McClelland and Tominey
Red Light, Purple Light: A Self-Regulation Intervention Program
Course Description and Objectives
Self-regulation is a necessary skill for children that aids their development and success in school and life. This expertly-designed course gives you the training needed to implement evidence-based self-regulation activities with young children in your classroom and at home.
This course is for teachers, trainers, administrators serving children Pre-K through 1st grade. It is a self-paced course so you can start when you want. You will get six hours of ongoing professional development credit and will learn how to:
- Gain an understanding of self-regulation and why it is important.
- Improve your understanding of research on self-regulation skills and how children learn and develop self-regulation.
- Learn how to implement the Red Light, Purple Light self-regulation intervention.
After completing the course, you will have a firm understanding of the importance of self-regulation for children’s healthy development and school success, as well as specific ways to improve these skills in young children. You will also learn everything you need to implement the “Red Light, Purple Light” self-regulation intervention in early childhood settings. Finally, you will complete the course with a number of resources to help you implement this intervention successfully and help the children in your life develop the self-regulation skills they need to thrive!
