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Getting Started with SRL

Download This Support Tool:

Download the file to the right if a visual organizer could help you organize your efforts as you progress through the phases of developing self-regulation skills.

Getting Started

This all starts with a conversation, and a little forethought.  To be successful, the process will require many conversations, some of them hard.  At different times the conversations may include teachers, administrators, other caregivers, or counselors.  But, first and foremost, engaging your child in the process is critical.  You will have conversations that will strive to clarify how you and your child understand the need for a change, accept the worth of a goal, commit to a strategic plan, infuse energy into the effort, overcome obstacles and setbacks, and recognize how and when progress is made.  You have a lot to talk about.  You have a lot to do.  But, take heart.  You can do it, and it will even be fun at times.

You and your child must decide on strategies, monitoring techniques and tools that work for you. A great strategy for one family is a terrible strategy for another. A monitoring technique some find easy to use, easy to understand, and unobtrusive is just too cumbersome for others. Some people prefer a highly structured organizer for their thoughts and planning, others want an outline that highlights the critical points. Still, there are essential components to changing a habit that are common to all of us.

The three phases of the model--Prepare, Take Action, and Reflect--can help structure and organize your progress.  As you progress, you may need to move back and forth among the stages as you seek ways to be successful.  Also, where you begin your preparation depends on your own unique situation.

For example, if you and your child are aware of the specific change that needs to happen and are ready to make that change, then you can move quickly to goal-setting.  However, your child may not understand the need for a change or, else, feel as if he is unable to change. If this is the case, you may want to take time to learn more about change by working through each of the pages on the Prepare Phase.  You are much more likely to be successful if your child:

  • is aware of the change that is being sought,

  • believes the changes in behavior are worth striving for, 

  • makes a commitment to making the change,

  • is involved in creating the strategy for making the change,

  • participates in the monitoring of the plan, and

  • and reflects with you about the plan's progress.

Your Kid's Take – Involving Your Child in Strategy Development

In this video, written and performed by two of our students, Jenna and Delaney demonstrate the importance of including your child in the problem-solving process.  Creating strategies for self-regulation are most likely to have long-term success when your conversations with your child draws on their skills and ideas to support the process of creating positive habits.

Self-Regulation Planning Checklist

Or, you can check back to this page to assure you have included each of the items in the checklist below in your planning.  Each of the items listed below is discussed in much more detail on subsequent pages of this site.

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  • Forethought
    My child and I have reached an accord on the purpose and importance of making a change

  • Goal setting
    My child and I have set a goal that is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound

  • Strategic planning
    We have determined which strategy we will use and have chosen the monitoring tool for determining progress

 

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  • Monitoring
    We implemented the plan as it was designed and committed enough time and energy to make it work


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  • Thoughtful reflection
    My child and I revisited the purpose of the goal, discussed what we have learned so far, reassessed the value of the new skill or habit, and considered the quality of the work

  • Analyze the data
    We reviewed the data to determine if good progress was made toward the goal, if little or no progress was made, or if the goal was successfully reached

  • Determine future steps
    Based on the data analysis and thoughtful reflection, we decided whether to renew our commitment to the current plan, revise it in some way, and/or celebrate progress

  • Maintain
    Once the goal was accomplished, we determined how we will continue to reinforce and support the newly acquired skill or habit

  • Generalize
    Since the goal was accomplished, we envisioned other times or other situations where the successful strategy could work or could work if it is modified

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