From Paper to Practice: Understanding and Embodiment of Self-Regulation in Ontario's Kindergarten Classrooms

Abstract

Self-regulation is known to be a critical developmental aspect of well-being throughout the lifespan, contributing to prevention of challenges in educational outcomes, cognitive problems, internalizing problems such as depression and anxiety, externalizing problems such as aggression, and physical health problems as well. There is an increasingly large body of literature focused on self-regulation including a wide spectrum of perspectives on its definition and valid measurement. This article reviews the categories of definitional interpretations and describes key Ontario educational documents which outline the framework for self-regulation adopted by the Ontario Ministry of Education; namely, self-regulation as the ability to manage energy and tension and to respond to and recover from stress. Shanker Self-Reg© is described as the framework illustrated throughout these documents, and emerging research gaps are discussed.