Practicing Emotional Control: Executive Function Strategies for Elementary Classrooms

Posted In Application On February 13, 2025

Practicing emotional control is a critical component of teaching executive function skills in elementary classrooms. When students learn to manage their emotions effectively, they build resilience, strengthen their social skills, and improve their academic performance. As educators, we can embed executive function instruction into daily routines to help students develop self-regulation and emotional awareness. Below are five engaging activities to foster emotional control in students, empowering them to navigate challenges with confidence and composure.

1. Observing Emotional Control in Action

Over several days, encourage students to share real-life examples of people practicing emotional control. This could be something they witnessed at school, at home, or in a book or movie. Have students explain what they observed and how it demonstrated emotional control. Compile their responses into a class list and discuss patterns that emerge. This exercise enhances students’ self-awareness and reinforces the importance of emotional regulation in different contexts. By incorporating executive function lessons into these discussions, students can better understand how emotional control plays a role in their daily lives.

2. Matching Reactions to Problem Size

One effective executive function intervention involves helping students gauge the size of a problem and match their emotional reactions accordingly. Over multiple days, identify problems the class encounters and ask students to categorize them as small, medium, or large. Then, discuss appropriate reactions for each problem size and whether those reactions are helpful or harmful. Repeating this activity in real-time situations reinforces students’ self-regulation and strengthens their ability to handle frustrations productively. This strategy is particularly beneficial for student behavior management and improving students’ performance in social settings.

3. Emotional Awareness Daily Check-In

Each morning, introduce an emotion and encourage students to be mindful of when they see someone experiencing that feeling throughout the day. At the end of the day, invite students to share their observations without naming individuals. This executive function learning activity enhances students’ ability to recognize and understand emotions in others, a key component of emotional intelligence. By making emotional awareness a daily practice, students improve their social skills and become more empathetic peers.

4. The Worry Jar: A Tool for Emotional Release

Create a “Worry Jar” in your classroom to provide students with an outlet for their concerns. When students feel anxious or preoccupied, they can write or draw their worry on a small piece of paper and place it in the jar. This act of externalizing worries helps students acknowledge their feelings and let go of immediate stress. At the end of the day or week, provide time for students to reflect on their worries and discuss possible solutions. This activity aligns with executive functioning tools that support students’ self-regulation and emotional well-being.

5. Celebrating “Trigger Wins”

A “Trigger Wins” tracker encourages students to recognize and celebrate moments when they successfully managed an emotional trigger. Have students write or draw a situation in which they used strategies to control their reaction to frustration or anger. At the end of the week, allow students to share their wins and celebrate their progress. This positive reinforcement builds student confidence, supports student engagement strategies, and fosters a classroom culture that values emotional growth. Incorporating this activity into an executive function curriculum equips students with lifelong tools for emotional resilience.

Empowering Students Through Emotional Control

Practicing emotional control is not just about managing feelings; it is about equipping students with the executive function strategies they need to navigate school and life successfully. These activities help students develop emotional awareness, strengthen problem-solving skills, and build a foundation for self-regulation. When we prioritize executive function instruction, we empower students to take ownership of their emotions and improve their academic performance.

For more strategies tailored to older students, explore our additional resources:

• Practicing Emotional Control in Middle School Grades 5-8
• Practicing Emotional Control in High School Grades 9-12

Looking for more executive function tools? Explore Cerebrate’s Executive Function Lessons to find comprehensive strategies for improving students’ academic performance and emotional regulation.

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