Personal Reflection

After reading “How Far Have we Moved Toward the Integration of Theory and Practice in Self-Regulation” I was reminded of my own education. From a young age I was taught that I needed to achieve. I always knew that it was important for me to know material for several reasons. My parents did not pressure us to get good grades however we were always rewarded with compliments and hugs if we achieved them. My mom always said that good grades would be helpful for me to “achieve.” When she first used that word with me I did not know what it meant, all I knew is it sounded good and I wanted it. This was goal reaching I created for myself. I wanted my mom to be proud and I wanted to achieve. In school I was influenced a lot by these positive experiences with my mom as well as with other teachers. I had always been praised for my work ethic and overall performance and I knew that if I continued to work hard I would receive that. This also goes along with the talked about, positive feeling in a room, which encourages self-regulation. I was also ways comfortable in my classrooms and that gave me the confidence to try. Another important point was that self-regulation can be fostered in a group environment. I think that was true for me because when paired with other “smart” kids I wanted to be the best and when paired with students who did not understand a concept I felt that I was privileged to instruct them.

The feelings that I fostered in elementary school continued through my life and for the most part still hold true today in motivating me. This article talks about many strategies for encouraging self-regulation, all of which worked for me.