Dr. Stuart Shanker and Self-Regulation |

Dr. Stuart Shanker and Self-Regulation

November 22, 2010 by cultureofyes

Rather than a summary of Day 2 at the BCSSA Fall Conference, I wanted to go into more detail with what I thought was an outstanding presentation, by Dr. Stuart Shanker, in conversation with Surrey Superintendent of Schools, Mike McKay.

The full presentation is available here.

Some of the big ideas from the presentation:

trajectories (one’s path) are largely set by the time the child enters school
the child’s capacity for social interaction, symbolic thinking, functional language, problem solving and logical thinking, are largely set before they enter school
the foundation for this massive development process is the child’s ability to be calmly focussed and alert – their ability for self-regulation
a child is born 6-9 months prematurely
If you get a kid in Grade 1 it is difficult to “fix” a child

A great deal of the presentation focussed on the stages of alertness and the key to keeping kids at level 4 — calmly focussed and alert. This was interesting for the adults in the room, as many thought how often they work with children functioning at levels 5 and 6.

Activation

6. Flooded

5. Hyperalert

4. Calmly focused and alert (optimal learning*)

3. Hypoalert

2. Drowsy

1. Asleep

Inhibition

In Self-Regulation: Calm, Alert, and Learning*, an article published this fall in Canada Education, Dr. Shanker says:

In short, self-regulation serves as a lens for understanding a child, his individual strengths and the areas that need work, and thus as a lens for understanding what we hope to accomplish in our teaching practices.

Dr. Shanker’s presentation and supporting research emphasized, once again, the need to focus on early childhood education. If we are going to make a difference, we need to make a difference with our very youngest children.

There are a number of great, supplementary resources on the work of Dr. Shanker, including a short video linked here on brain development. The slide deck (as referenced above) from the session is also rich with supporting information.

For the interest of everyone in the West Vancouver district reading this blog, both our Board Chair, Mary-Ann Booth, and I are in agreement that we should invite Dr. Shanker to West Vancouver to present.

Thanks to Kelly Spearman, Jennifer Towers, Michelle Wood, Cindy Dekker and Gary Kern who all assisted me with the notes from the presentation

Posted in Parenting, Professional Development | 24 Comments

24 Responses

on November 22, 2010 at 10:11 PM | Reply Rob Colombo

Thanks Chris. This is the presentation that I followed (by tweets) and found the most interesting. It left me wanting to know more.

I would love to join WV if you are able to secure a follow up presentation by Dr. Shanker.

R.
- on November 22, 2010 at 10:13 PM | Reply cultureofyes
  
  Absolutely Rob. I thougth it was very engaging. I think Dr. Shanker will have several return visits to B.C. – there were lots of us interested in having him come back. It was one of those sessions that really connects with us as educators and as parents.
on September 5, 2011 at 10:13 PM | Reply carrie berg

Found the presentation very interesting and I have done lots of reading since.
As a parent and high school teacher I am still hoping to find some more strategies and information regarding how to work on self regulation with older kids (8-18). Could Dr. Shanker recommend some readings on older ages? Is it possible to make improvements later?
- on September 8, 2011 at 7:34 PM | Reply cultureofyes
  
  Hi Carrie – yes, it definitely makes one look at their own parenting. Shanker does think there are interventions we can make at older ages. I will pull together some resources from him and follow-up with those who attended.
on September 15, 2011 at 3:25 PM | Reply Karen

Do you have any links that focus on the practical implications of Shanker’s work for parents and teachers?
- on September 19, 2011 at 1:51 PM | Reply cultureofyes
  
  Karen – I will work to pull together some information that I can put out that takes Shanker’s work and makes it more tangible.
on September 23, 2011 at 11:12 AM | Reply Karen

Thanks! We would LOVE that!
on September 27, 2011 at 5:38 AM | Reply Diane Weiss

I would also like some information on self regulations for older ages (8+). Thanks, Diane Weiss
- on September 29, 2011 at 9:40 AM | Reply cultureofyes
  
  Thanks Diane – we are working to pull together some support resources and share them publicly.
on October 21, 2011 at 7:18 AM | Reply Classrooms of the (Near?) Future «

[…] has been a regular presenter in British Columbia, as mentioned in an earlier post on his work here, and spent two days in West Vancouver at the beginning of September, that included him speaking to […]
on November 7, 2011 at 5:44 AM | Reply Kathy Laforme

when he be presenting again in Southern Ontario, re: self regulation
on December 7, 2011 at 1:45 PM | Reply Calm, Alert and Learning – Stuart Shanker Resources | Renovating My Classroom

[…] Summary of Shankers Presentation to the BCSSA last fall (Kennedy) […]
on December 21, 2011 at 10:58 AM | Reply My “Top 3″ List for 2011 «

[…] 2. West Vancouver Opening Day with Stuart Shanker […]
on April 29, 2012 at 8:55 AM | Reply More on Shanker and Self-Regulation «

[…] most widely read post ever has been Dr. Stuart Shanker and Self-Regulation, which is a summary of Dr. Stuart Shanker’s presentation at the November 2010, BCSSA Fall […]
on May 28, 2012 at 12:28 PM | Reply Bev Leslie

We had the honour of Dr. Shanker as our keynote speaker May 25, 2012 at our ‘Common Ground Professional Development Conference’ at WindReach Farm. If you ever have the opportunity to attend any conference where he is speaking, take advantage of it, you will be totally engrossed! Thank you Dr. Shanker.
- on May 30, 2012 at 6:57 AM | Reply cultureofyes
  
  Absolutely Bev. We are fortunate that we will have Dr. Shanker back out in BC towards the end of August, and likely again in November – he is sharing some of the most important thinking available right now.
on June 3, 2012 at 9:02 AM | Reply Connecting – to the Earth and the Digital World «

[…] have also written about the intensification of inquiry and self-regulation — two other key theme areas we are seeing in our schools. However, there is another topic […]
on January 9, 2013 at 2:17 PM | Reply Carol-Anne

Having a 9 year old boy, I find this so depressing. It makes me feel like it is too late to even try!
on February 19, 2013 at 6:57 AM | Reply Dr. Shanker and Self Regulation – Continuing the Conversation «

[…] each post has received well over 10,000 views. To recap, the first post in November 2010 is here and the second one here was written in April […]
on March 4, 2013 at 1:55 PM | Reply Linda Dolezsar

Hi Chris. I am new to this blog as of today. I tried to view the BCSSA presentation you posted, but could no longer access it. Do you have a new link? Thanks much. Linda Dolezsar
- on March 4, 2013 at 4:11 PM | Reply cultureofyes
  
  Hi Linda – it looks like the BCSSA removed the link. Here is a link that should work: http://www.peopleforeducation.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/P4E-Conference-2010-Stuart-Shanker-Presentation.pdf
on November 16, 2015 at 6:43 AM | Reply After You Have Been Inspired by Stuart . . . |

[…] years I have regularly written about Stuart, and his influence on our work with self-regulation. This post from 2010, is my most read post ever. It has been wonderful to see the growth of self-regulation […]
on September 27, 2020 at 9:15 AM | Reply 10 Years and Still Going |

[…] actually the easier posts to write. My most-read post to date comes from November of 2010 on Stuart Shanker and Self-Regulation. I have written about Stuart’s work a number of times, and it is an example of thinking […]
on July 6, 2022 at 6:41 AM | Reply 26 Years, 26 Teachers, 26 Lessons |

[…] the pleasure of having him in West Vancouver several times to work with our staff and parents. My first post about Stuart from 2010 is one of the most read ever on my blog. Lesson: There is no such thing as bad […]