PYP SEL: Self-Management

The abilities to manage one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations. This includes the capacities to delay gratification, manage stress, and feel motivation & agency to accomplish personal/collective goals.

Such as:

• Managing one’s emotions

• Identifying and using stress-management strategies

• Exhibiting self-discipline and self-motivation

• Setting personal and collective goals

• Using planning and organizational skills

• Showing the courage to take initiative

• Demonstrating personal and collective agency

• What strategies do you use to self-manage your emotions or behaviour?
• What makes it difficult for you (or others) to self-manage?
• How could self-management have a positive impact on your life?
• How can you help others manage their behaviour or emotions?
• Why do you think [character] struggled to control their emotions?
• If [character] had managed their emotions/behaviour who do you think the outcome would have been?
• What could [character] do to manage their emotions/behaviour?
• Why was it important that [character] persevered during [task/event]?
• What strategies could [character] have used to manage their stress?
• How do you think [character] managed to overcome their challenges?
• Do you think it was appropriate for [character] to get angry? What would have been a better strategy?
• Why do you think [character] got so angry/jealous/upset?
• What would be a good strategy to help [character] deal with their emotions?
• What could [character] learn from their mistakes?

Characteristics

Students prepared to self-manage are self-motivated, organised and show perseverance. The characteristics, which will exhibit in different ways depending on their age and experiences, include:

• Manage and control emotions, thoughts, and behaviour in different situations
• Understand why they feel the way they do
• Use appropriate strategies for impulse control and regulating emotions
• Promote perseverance in personal and academic life
• Uses stress management techniques, such as mindfulness
• Motivating themselves to persevere in overcoming challenges
• Understand they need time and motivation to accomplish goals and challenges
• Understand that failure or mistakes are a chance to learn and improve
• Set goals, both personal and academic, and work towards them
• Assess where they are at and create new targets
• Develop organisational skills and stick to routines

Key Benefits 

There are many great reasons for working on self-management skills and strategies.

• Improved confidence
• Increased motivation and enthusiasm
• Increased self-efficacy when setting and achieving goals
• Improved academic performance
• Improved study skills
• Having pride and confidence in achievements
• Improved self-esteem and self-worth
• Understanding that meeting goals and challenges is not always easy

1. Grounding Techniques

Grounding techniques are a stress management exercise used to orient someone in the present when they’re emotionally overwhelmed. By focusing on their senses instead of their thoughts or feelings, grounding techniques can teach students how to calm down and manage their emotions when they are upset. Teach grounding techniques as a class and help students practice them when they feel stressed.

Here are a few grounding techniques for you to try out with your students:

• Name five different things you can see around the room
• Listen to energetic or relaxing music for one minute
• Hold an object in your hands and focus on the color or texture
• Take ten deep breaths, counting each one as your chest rises
• Eat a piece of candy and choose three words that describe its taste

2. Self-Management Party Games

Plenty of popular children’s games can teach children how to regulate their behaviors. Turn on some music, sort children into groups, and play any of these well-known games that model self-management:

• Musical Chairs
• Follow the Leader
• Red Rover
• Mother, May I
• Simon Says

After playing these games, bring your students back together for a class discussion on what they learned about listening and being respectful to others.

3. SMART Goal Challenge

Self-motivation is an essential component to social-emotional learning. If you’re not sure how to self-motivate your students, try challenging them to reach their potential by setting SMART goals as a class.

At the beginning of the month or quarter, work with each student to set a SMART goal for themselves. SMART goals must be Specific, Measurable, Agreed-Upon, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Check in with your students several times throughout the month to measure their progress and support them if any challenges arise.

If your students meet their goal by the agreed-upon end date, give them a piece of candy or other reward. If they don’t, offer encouragement and work with them to accomplish their goal.