5 Ways to Practice Emotional Control for High School Students

Posted In Application On December 25, 2024

High school is a pivotal time for students, as they develop the skills needed for academic success and personal growth. One of the most critical executive function skills to nurture during these years is emotional control. Helping students practice emotional control allows them to develop skills to manage their emotions, stay focused, and respond to challenges with resilience. Below are five engaging activities designed to help students develop emotional control in ways that align with their learning needs and promote a positive classroom environment.

1. Self-Observation and Reflection

Over a designated period, encourage students to observe their behavior in various learning environments, such as during group projects, individual assignments, or test preparation. Ask them to document three specific instances where emotional control helped them succeed as learners. For each instance, have them note how managing their emotions impacted their focus, engagement, or interactions with peers and teachers.

This activity not only builds self-awareness but also helps students understand how they practice emotional control to improve their academic performance. These reflections can form part of a broader executive function curriculum, demonstrating the connection between emotional regulation and student success.

2. Matching Reactions to Problems

Provide students with a blank sheet of paper and have them fold it in half lengthwise. On the left side, they’ll list five challenges they faced over a set period—such as a difficult test or a misunderstanding with a friend. On the right side, they’ll describe their reactions to each problem. Then, guide students to evaluate whether their reactions matched the size of the problems. For any mismatches, encourage reflection on what a more proportionate response might have looked like.

This activity helps students develop an executive function system for assessing emotional responses. By practicing this skill, they’ll enhance their ability to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively, a crucial element of executive function learning.

3. Coping Strategy Cards

Ask students to brainstorm strategies for managing stress and write them on a note card. These might include deep breathing, taking a short walk, or breaking tasks into smaller steps. Encourage students to keep the card handy and to experiment with these strategies during stressful situations. Over time, have them record how their reactions change and identify which strategies work best for them.

This tool serves as a tangible executive functioning tool to help students navigate stress more effectively. It not only allows students to practice emotional control but also fosters self-regulation and improves students’ social skills by promoting calm and thoughtful responses to challenges.

4. Analyzing Test Anxiety

Before upcoming tests, have students document their worries. Whether it’s not understanding the material or fear of running out of time, students should record as many concerns as possible. Then, guide them to identify patterns in their anxieties and brainstorm strategies to address these commonalities, such as creating a study schedule or practicing mindfulness techniques.

This activity aligns with solving executive function challenges by providing a structured approach to managing test anxiety. It builds students’ confidence and equips them with practical strategies to enhance their academic performance.

5. “What Can I Control?” Card

Give each student a card with the question, “What can I control?” Encourage them to reference the card whenever they feel overwhelmed by strong emotions. Guide them to list what is and isn’t within their control in the situation and focus their energy on what they can manage.

This is simple yet powerful strategy to help students practice emotional control while increasing student focus and fostering a growth mindset.  Incorporating this practice into your executive function instruction provides students with a reliable system to navigate emotional challenges.

Additional Resources for Emotional Control Development

To practice emotional control, a high school student is identifying what is or is not in her control.

Explore more strategies tailored to different age groups and learning needs by clicking on the links below:

• Ways to Practice Emotional Control for Grades 1-4
• Ways to Practice Emotional Control for Grades 5-8

Looking for more executive function tools and lessons? Check out Cerebrate’s executive function curriculum.

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By integrating these activities into your classroom, you’ll not only address students’ immediate learning needs but also equip them with lifelong skills for managing emotions and achieving success. Through targeted executive function intervention, you can help students build resilience, improve their self-regulation, and enhance their overall academic performance.