ABSTRACT
Knowing how one feels is only one element in the complex dynamic of social interactions. Students bring their emotions with them into the classroom. They may be distracted by events at home, or something that happened on their way to school. They may be on edge from not having had enough sleep or food. They may be lovestruck because the object of their affection waved to them in the hall (or deflated because they didn’t wave). The school day itself presents constant emotional ups and downs—conflict with a peer, elation at hearing about a class trip. And the school schedule doesn’t help. Lunch is scheduled when it is scheduled, whether or not anyone is hungry. The bell rings whether you are done with your work or not. Somehow, in the midst of all of this, students (and teachers!) need to maintain momentum even in the face of strong emotions that may seem distracting. The term self-regulation captures the ability to handle these emotions and to stay oriented toward one’s goal.
