WEBVTT
00:01:11.000 -->
00:01:28.795Welcome to another episode of K-12 Public Education Insights Empowering Parents of Color podcast, the podcast that converges at the intersection of educational research and parental actions.
00:01:28.795 -->
00:01:43.641It's about making the trends, topics and theories in public education understandable so that you can implement them into practical, actionable strategies that work for your children.
00:01:43.641 -->
00:01:56.294My name is Dr Kim J Fields, former corporate manager turned education researcher and advocate, and I'm the host of this podcast.
00:01:56.294 -->
00:02:12.954I got into this space after dealing with some frustrating interactions with school educators and administrators, as well as experiencing the microaggressions that I faced.
00:02:12.954 -->
00:02:25.923As an African-American mom raising my two kids who were in the public school system, I really wanted to understand how teachers were trained and what the research provided about the challenges of the public education system.
00:02:25.923 -->
00:02:38.623Once I gained the information and the insights that I needed, I was then equipped to be able to successfully support my children in their educational progress.
00:02:38.623 -->
00:02:46.324This battle-tested experience is what I provide as action steps for you to take.
00:02:46.324 -->
00:03:14.882It's like enjoying a bowl of educational research with a sprinkling of mother wit wisdom on top If you're looking to find out more about the current information and issues in education that could affect you or your children, and the action steps you can take to give your children the advantages they need, then you're in the right place.
00:03:14.882 -->
00:03:17.534Thanks for tuning in today.
00:03:17.534 -->
00:03:28.426I know that staying informed about K-12 public education trends and topics is important to you, so keep listening.
00:03:28.426 -->
00:03:43.959Give me 30 minutes or less and I'll shine a light on the latest trends, tactics and topics pertaining to the constantly evolving K-12 public education environment.
00:03:45.260 -->
00:04:05.525We're all familiar with the meltdowns that toddlers and preschool children have, which can be triggered by any number of things, including a lack of oral language skills, the inability to regulate emotions and inexperience with socializing in group settings.
00:04:05.525 -->
00:04:17.278By the time these children reach kindergarten, their meltdowns should have significantly decreased, but is this really true?
00:04:17.278 -->
00:04:27.584In this episode, I'll be discussing the emotional dysregulation of kindergartners, which seems to be on the rise.
00:04:27.584 -->
00:04:40.800I provide actionable strategies that you can put in place to help your child get back in control, whether they're a kindergartner or older.
00:04:40.800 -->
00:04:52.581A growing number of children are entering formal education, that is, kindergarten, ill-prepared to manage their emotions.
00:04:52.581 -->
00:04:54.870Based on the feedback from educators.
00:04:54.870 -->
00:05:00.456If not appropriately addressed early on, these issues can not only accumulate.
00:05:00.456 -->
00:05:07.225These issues can not only accumulate, but can also be combined with other problems.
00:05:07.225 -->
00:05:13.252So what is emotional regulation?
00:05:13.252 -->
00:05:21.125I discuss what this is, as well as emotional dysregulation, on this episode.
00:05:21.125 -->
00:05:30.651Let's gain some insight on this.
00:05:30.692 -->
00:05:39.170Early childhood is a critical period when a child fills up the basic competencies and self-concepts that influence their later developmental trajectory.
00:05:39.170 -->
00:05:58.967Every child needs effective early childhood support, and understanding the variables that affect children's problem behavior, such as emotional dysregulation, is important to discovering effective approaches that are appropriate.
00:05:58.967 -->
00:06:17.750Problem behavior in early childhood causes low academic achievement and ineffective perspective on critical skills, as well as low emotional competence, knowledge and regulation.
00:06:17.750 -->
00:06:32.622Consequential thinking and poor alternative thinking are typically associated with children's impulsivity over emotionality and low social and emotional competence.
00:06:32.622 -->
00:06:36.311High self-esteem seems to be considered a protective factor against emotional dysregulation.
00:06:36.311 -->
00:06:46.365This makes sense because healthy self-esteem is correlated with a person's happiness, mental health and positive adjustment.
00:06:48.050 -->
00:06:50.414Why the focus on kindergartners?
00:06:50.414 -->
00:07:06.164Because kindergarten marks a critical stage in the child's growth, setting the foundation for their journey into becoming an engaging and compassionate member of society.
00:07:06.164 -->
00:07:17.979During this phase, children develop a passion for learning, build meaningful bonds and start to explore and manage their feelings in constructive ways.
00:07:17.979 -->
00:07:31.579Emotionally dysregulated kindergartners can create stress, burnout and unsafe learning environments for their teachers as well as their classmates.
00:07:31.579 -->
00:07:42.258Emotional dysregulation is one of the most common reasons families seek psychological services and behavioral supports.
00:07:42.258 -->
00:07:46.360Let's look at what emotion regulation is.
00:07:47.850 -->
00:07:59.963Researchers define emotion regulation as the practice of recognizing emotions and developing the skills needed to manage reactions to those emotions.
00:07:59.963 -->
00:08:18.822Although emotional dysregulation is not considered a disorder in its own right, it is often associated with a host of other disorders, like mood disorders or anxiety disorders across early ages.
00:08:18.822 -->
00:08:26.507That emotion regulation is not a single process or set of processes.
00:08:26.507 -->
00:08:35.603It depends on a number of factors, including temperament and the relationship with a parent and or caregiver.
00:08:35.603 -->
00:08:39.681It also depends on the early student-teacher relationship.
00:08:39.681 -->
00:08:53.525Evidence suggests positive student-teacher relationships in kindergarten predict academic and socio-behavioral adjustments across the elementary school years.
00:08:53.525 -->
00:09:07.533And a reminder that emotional dysregulation is not considered a disorder in its own right, but it is often associated with a host of other disorders.
00:09:07.533 -->
00:09:17.437Research also indicates a definitive relationship between emotional dysregulation and children's behavioral and social development.
00:09:17.437 -->
00:09:29.500Young children who do not develop regulatory control are likely to exhibit emotional and behavioral problems in both school and community settings.
00:09:30.743 -->
00:09:42.718Temper tantrums are not typically considered developmentally appropriate for kindergarten aged children, but, according to teachers, it's becoming more common.
00:09:42.718 -->
00:09:52.888These teachers are reporting that they've seen a large increase in the inability for students to cope with things when they don't go their way.
00:09:52.888 -->
00:09:59.543They see a lot of crying, yelling, shutting down and gross overreactions.
00:09:59.543 -->
00:10:04.191These are all disruptive to the classroom environment.
00:10:04.191 -->
00:10:28.471Compared to five years ago, according to Education Research Center's 2024 State of Teaching Survey, students show more and much more difficulty with social-emotional skills, including listening and following directions, sharing, cooperating with others and taking turns.
00:10:29.514 -->
00:10:37.234You might be thinking that COVID-19 may be responsible for what seems to be a serious regression among kindergartners.
00:10:37.234 -->
00:10:53.380The answer from the experts, including educators, to mental health professionals, indicated that there may be some trickle-down effects that extend to younger children based on behaviors during COVID-19.
00:10:53.380 -->
00:11:02.413This is interesting, given that children who are now entering kindergarten were barely born during the height of the pandemic.
00:11:02.413 -->
00:11:21.160Worth noting is that the pandemic did prevent many young children from attending daycare and preschool, where they would have been with their peers for four hours each day, picking up the social cues and norms of being part of the group.
00:11:21.160 -->
00:11:37.702If these current kindergartners had older siblings who never socialized with other children because schools were shut down and they were trapped at home, not building their social skills, that could also rub off on the younger children.
00:11:38.730 -->
00:11:51.742Another possible reason for the surge in young children's difficulty with emotional self-regulation is that their parents may struggle to regulate their own emotions, given the current climate in this country.
00:11:51.742 -->
00:12:07.937Parents are stressed out about economics, they're stressed out about social and political things in society, about high gas prices, high grocery prices and about making ends meet, and they're not regulating well.
00:12:07.937 -->
00:12:21.740Parents are also spending a lot of time on their screens, which is a leftover habit from the pandemic shutdown, which makes them psychologically absent to their children.
00:12:21.740 -->
00:12:42.240They're not really spending time with their child in terms of supporting that healthy emotional development because they are potentially on their phones, doom scrolling all day long.
00:12:42.240 -->
00:13:24.033Increasingly, 40% of children own a tablet by age 4, 58% of children on a tablet and use it regularly, and an estimated one in five children aged eight and younger use mobile devices for emotional regulation, mealtimes or to fall asleep, according to a February 2025 report by the non-profit Common Sense Media that surveyed 1,578 parents of children younger than nine years old.
00:13:24.033 -->
00:13:35.059So for a lot of children who come to school that are four or barely five years old, teachers are asking them to sit in a classroom for six hours.
00:13:35.059 -->
00:13:43.655However, nothing the teacher asks them to do will be able to match the engagement of an iPad.
00:13:43.655 -->
00:14:01.312Some of the solutions that teachers have used to mitigate kindergarteners strong emotions include resources such as the Mood Meter, which is a chart like device that students can reference in order to identify how they're feeling in that moment.
00:14:01.312 -->
00:14:17.682Another resource is the motion regulation wheel, which lets students spin a physical wheel, somewhat like a traditional board game wheel, and then choose an appropriate option to manage their feelings.
00:14:17.682 -->
00:14:30.057Choices include strategies like sit by myself and do some breathing exercises or draw the experience.
00:14:30.057 -->
00:14:38.336These tools and strategies help children to focus on emotions they're experiencing at the time and help them to tell the teacher what will help them in that moment, and help them to tell the teacher what will help them in that moment.
00:14:39.276 -->
00:14:46.826A school district in New York, the Bethlehem Central School District, created an interesting idea.
00:14:46.826 -->
00:15:05.600They offered a pre-readiness kindergarten, where the district invited incoming kindergartners who may be less prepared than their peers to enter a full-day kindergarten to experience being in a classroom for short periods of time.
00:15:05.600 -->
00:15:10.533The three-week camp is held two hours a day, three times a week, and it's free.
00:15:10.533 -->
00:15:19.760It's run by district teachers, including a teacher experienced with English language learners, who make up the majority of the attendees.
00:15:19.760 -->
00:15:33.121The children learn routines and the procedures of being a student, like how to unpack your bag during the school year, how to transition to different classes, how to get in line, etc.
00:15:33.121 -->
00:15:47.545These things help prepare the incoming kindergartners for what it's like to be a student, because some of the kindergartners really don't know what that means, especially if they didn't attend preschool.
00:15:49.410 -->
00:15:56.163A counterintuitive strategy for emotional self-regulation in the classroom is distraction.
00:15:56.163 -->
00:16:02.771It's the same strategy that is effective for a toddler who's having a meltdown.
00:16:02.771 -->
00:16:08.861Distraction can be a powerful tool to reset during an emotional moment.
00:16:08.861 -->
00:16:23.177In fact, research shows that distraction through a creative activity like drawing is particularly an effective way of lessening negative effect and boosting positive effect.
00:16:23.177 -->
00:16:43.364In other words, distraction can be helpful because it provides immediate relief even in emotionally intense situations, and because it's an attention deployment strategy that's carried out before emotional information is fully processed in the brain.
00:16:43.364 -->
00:16:49.742Plus, distraction is easy to rely on and requires little mental effort.
00:16:50.510 -->
00:16:55.602Teachers can use distraction to help students re-engage or refocus at school.
00:16:55.602 -->
00:17:02.312They can provide movement or social breaks for students to stretch or talk to their friends.
00:17:02.312 -->
00:17:16.499It's helpful to provide students with the choice of calm activities that are active distractions and those that match their temperamental activity level to help them regulate themselves.
00:17:16.499 -->
00:17:30.793For example, a young learner in grades K through 1, a calm distraction might look like coloring a picture, while an active distraction could be a freeze dance.
00:17:30.793 -->
00:17:42.953Distraction, however, can become unhelpful in the long run when there is no intention to engage with the situation that prompted negative emotions.
00:17:42.953 -->
00:17:50.616In the future, prolonged distraction can lead to hiding or running away from an emotional situation.
00:17:50.616 -->
00:18:03.019When teachers understand how distraction functions as an emotion regulation strategy, they can help students notice if they're using distraction in an unhelpful manner.
00:18:03.019 -->
00:18:11.502They can help students explore and identify their emotions using a mood meter that I mentioned earlier in this discussion.
00:18:11.502 -->
00:18:28.799Another strategy for helping students manage their emotions in class might be integrating physical activity into class time, which can not only curb disruptive behaviors but also reinforce content mastery.
00:18:30.629 -->
00:18:35.742It's worth noting that self-regulation can be taught.
00:18:35.742 -->
00:18:46.475Here are some strategies kindergarten teachers can utilize to build this skill, and they may also be appropriate for you.
00:18:46.475 -->
00:18:49.740One support the brain.
00:18:49.740 -->
00:18:58.819Allow kindergartners to eat and drink in class to nourish their brains and increase the amount of physical movement.
00:18:58.819 -->
00:19:01.545Two make it fun.
00:19:01.545 -->
00:19:09.791Learning self-control doesn't have to be painful and it shouldn't feel like a chore In order to make it fun.
00:19:09.791 -->
00:19:25.164Incorporate games like Simon Says and Concentration, using role-playing scenarios where students deal with real-life situations and problems and engage students with intriguing scenarios and questions.
00:19:25.164 -->
00:19:27.3933.
00:19:27.393 -->
00:19:30.401Improve short-term memory.
00:19:30.401 -->
00:19:47.384Short-term memory, use spot-the-difference puzzles and play games like 20 Questions, where students have to hold information in short-term memory or working memory.
00:19:47.384 -->
00:20:01.346Also, teachers can externalize information such as time limits, guidelines and directions, with visual cues and written reminders.
00:20:01.346 -->
00:20:13.026Having those time limits and guidelines is certainly something that you can incorporate when it's time to play games.
00:20:13.026 -->
00:20:16.538And number four do a room check.
00:20:16.538 -->
00:20:44.325And number four do a room check.
00:20:52.069 -->
00:20:55.375The physical environment of the classroom can have a tremendous impact on a student's ability to focus and exhibit self-control.
00:20:55.375 -->
00:21:07.913Some students, particularly those in low self-regulation, are sensitive to things in the environment that can be very difficult to ignore things in the environment that can be very difficult to ignore.
00:21:07.913 -->
00:21:12.307So spend some time analyzing the classroom with a keen eye toward things that could be a distraction for students.
00:21:12.307 -->
00:21:21.243This is also very helpful at home, especially in spaces where you've set aside for your children to do homework.
00:21:21.243 -->
00:21:29.461Consider things like placement of desks and pencil sharpeners, the amount of clutter and traffic patterns.
00:21:29.461 -->
00:21:42.375Teachers could ask themselves this question is my room neat, tidy and organized, or cluttered, messy and overstimulating?
00:21:42.375 -->
00:21:53.996More play and more movement seems to be an antidote to the emotional dysregulation of kindergartners.
00:21:53.996 -->
00:22:16.793Given this, most kindergarten programs have become more academic focused, leaning into instruction that emphasizes teaching students to read and gain basic math skills, and moving away from activities like self-directed play, including painting, use of blocks or puzzles.
00:22:18.174 -->
00:22:44.037Many kindergarten teachers indicate that the kindergartners that they're seeing currently are having tantrums because they're being asked to do things that four to six-year-olds shouldn't be asked to do, because many of them are not ready developmentally to sit quietly for longer lengths of time to learn in a traditional passive learning classroom.
00:22:44.037 -->
00:22:51.158Play skills help kindergartners learn social and fine motor skills.
00:22:51.158 -->
00:22:58.837Kindergarten classrooms need to bring back play kitchens and an area where the children can play games with each other.
00:22:58.837 -->
00:23:20.825Kindergarteners need to have classrooms that allow them to move, play without adult interference, explore and discover, sing, talk to their friends without adult interference, tell stories and rhymes, play games and get dirty.
00:23:20.825 -->
00:23:34.163Having them focus on reading, fluently writing and doing basic addition and subtraction may be forcing them into studies before their minds and bodies are ready for them.
00:23:36.011 -->
00:23:45.221One of the main differences that I noted with my grandchildren when they were in kindergarten is that there is no nap time for kindergartners.
00:23:45.221 -->
00:23:49.356No wonder they're experiencing emotional dysregulation.
00:23:49.356 -->
00:23:52.750A five-year-old needs a nap every day.
00:23:52.750 -->
00:23:57.338Whose bright idea was it to eliminate naps for kindergartners.
00:23:57.338 -->
00:24:04.038This is where researchers and parents diverge on what's best for the child.
00:24:04.038 -->
00:24:09.355A parent of a five-year-old knows that their child needs a nap every day.
00:24:09.355 -->
00:24:14.985It's best for the child, the parent and the home environment.
00:24:14.985 -->
00:24:23.582In any case, many districts started the shift to a more academic-based kindergarten around 2010.
00:24:23.582 -->
00:24:31.843There was less focus on play and more focus on social-emotional learning and academic-based content.
00:24:31.843 -->
00:24:58.081Kindergarten may not ever revert completely to the play-centric environment that it once was, but perhaps with vocal pushback from parents and kindergartners, kindergarten programs will examine more closely the dual goals of meeting academic standards for young learners, along with a propensity toward playfulness.
00:24:58.081 -->
00:25:01.670So let's get practical.
00:25:01.670 -->
00:25:05.719What can you do about the information I just shared?
00:25:05.719 -->
00:25:14.118Here are the action steps you can take regarding emotional dysregulation of kindergartners.
00:25:15.485 -->
00:25:31.394Emotional dysregulation of kindergartners is something that has happened in recent years, and one of the reasons for this is that the children are being asked to do things to which they may not be developmentally or emotionally prepared to do.
00:25:31.394 -->
00:25:41.914Here are some actionable strategies you can use to help your kindergartner manage their emotions in preparation for going to class.
00:25:41.914 -->
00:25:50.173One make sure your child has plenty of rest and eats healthy, nutritious meals every day.
00:25:50.173 -->
00:26:01.394Two, allow time in your daily schedule for your child to release energy and focus better by engaging in physical exercise.
00:26:01.394 -->
00:26:15.439Three practice the academics reading, writing and math skills, like addition and subtraction, in short bursts, typically no more than 20 minutes at a time.
00:26:15.439 -->
00:26:29.468Four encourage building language and problem-solving skills through playing with blocks or Legos and reading stories to your children.
00:26:29.468 -->
00:26:35.257Five check in with your child to get a sense for how he or she is feeling.
00:26:35.257 -->
00:26:47.886You can create an emotion regulation wheel, which is a physical wheel as in a game board, and label the appropriate options on the wheel to ask what your child might be feeling.
00:26:47.886 -->
00:26:57.549The second part of identifying his or her emotion is letting the child choose a strategy that will help them manage their emotions.
00:26:57.549 -->
00:27:09.268Something like sit by myself and do some breathing exercises myself and do some breathing exercises.
00:27:09.268 -->
00:27:11.653And six create a space in your home that's designated as a quiet corner or a calming corner.
00:27:11.653 -->
00:27:26.884This allows your child to quietly settle himself or herself so that they develop a sense of control over the situation rather than feeling out of control over the situation, rather than feeling out of control.
00:27:26.884 -->
00:27:37.134When he or she is ready to re-engage with the family, welcome him or her back.
00:27:37.134 -->
00:27:41.019Here are this episode's takeaways.
00:27:47.765 -->
00:27:53.922Researchers define emotion regulation as the practice of recognizing emotions and developing the skills needed to manage reactions to those emotions.
00:27:53.922 -->
00:28:10.569Although emotional dysregulation is not considered a disorder in its own right, it is often associated with a host of other disorders, like mood disorders or anxiety disorders across early ages.
00:28:10.569 -->
00:28:18.768It's worth noting that emotion regulation is not a single process or a set of processes.
00:28:18.768 -->
00:28:27.000It depends on a number of factors, including temperament and the relationship with the parent or caregiver.
00:28:27.000 -->
00:28:32.116It also depends on early student-teacher relationships.
00:28:32.116 -->
00:28:49.970Emotional dysregulation can cause behavioral problems in early childhood, causes low academic achievement and ineffective perspective on critical skills, as well as low emotional competence.
00:28:50.510 -->
00:28:52.094Knowledge and regulation.
00:28:52.094 -->
00:29:06.700Consequential thinking and poor alternative thinking are typically associated with children's impulsivity over-emotionality, children's impulsivity over emotionality and low social and emotional competencies.
00:29:06.700 -->
00:29:18.828A counterintuitive strategy for self-regulation in the classroom is distraction.
00:29:18.828 -->
00:29:21.432It's the same strategy that's effective for a toddler who's having a meltdown.
00:29:21.432 -->
00:29:26.240Distraction can be a powerful tool to reset during an emotional moment.
00:29:26.240 -->
00:29:39.235In fact, research shows that distraction through a creative activity like drawing is a particularly effective way of lessening negative effect and boosting positive effect.
00:29:39.235 -->
00:30:01.281In other words, distraction can be helpful because it provides immediate relief even in emotionally intense situations, and because it is an attention deployment strategy that's carried out before emotional information is fully processed in the brain.
00:30:01.281 -->
00:30:05.642Fully processed in the brain.
00:30:05.642 -->
00:30:31.865Another strategy for helping students manage their emotions in class might be integrating physical activity into class time, which can not only curb disruptive behaviors, but also reinforce content mastery, mastery.
00:30:31.884 -->
00:30:35.154What's been your experience with dealing with emotional dysregulation of kindergartners or older children?
00:30:35.154 -->
00:30:45.896Let me know your thoughts by leaving a text comment on my podcast website, k12educationinsightsbuzzsproutcom.
00:30:45.896 -->
00:30:54.256Here's how you leave a text comment Go to the episode description page and click on the send me a text message link.
00:30:54.256 -->
00:31:00.692Again, it's k12educationinsightsbuzzsproutcom.
00:31:00.692 -->
00:31:06.885If you enjoyed this episode, why not listen to another episode from our library?
00:31:06.885 -->
00:31:15.466It could take as little as 15 minutes of your day and remember new episodes come out every Tuesday.
00:31:15.466 -->
00:31:18.430Thanks for listening to this episode.
00:31:18.430 -->
00:31:27.581Be sure to come back for more insights on K-12 education topics that impact you and your children.
00:31:27.581 -->
00:31:33.297Until next time, aim to learn something new every day.
