As readers know, I’m always on the look-out for new strategies to help my students get a better handle on self-control, and have often written about them. Many that I’ve tried have worked for some, but every student is an individual, so you can never have too many strategies!
I’ve written about previous studies have shown that self-control appears to be a limited reserve that needs to be replenished regularly. One way to do that is by ingesting glucose (some morning trail mix has worked wonders for one of my students).
Several new studies have just come out that there’s another way to replenish that supply of self-control — through self-affirmation.
You can read the details at the link, but, in short, study participants were able to refuel their self-control by writing about their core values — whatever was important to them (their family, friends, etc.).
I can see trying something like this with a student who is losing his/her self-control by asking him/her to put their head down for a minute, or to go outside, and think about something that is important to them.
It’s just one more tool for the toolbox….
Larry,
I’ve been reading your blog now for several months and always appreciate the information and ideas you share, but this post, along with the others relating to helping students to develop and strengthen self-control have been significant for me. I have a brother who has emotional and mental deficits that are oftentimes expressed in a lack of self-control. I believe that some of the ideas you have and are presenting may very well help him in a very real way. Thank you for sharing and providing such valuable tools.