Regulate to Educate: What to Do When Students Struggle with Self-Regulation Without Losing Instructional Time

MSAA Professional Development Workshop for Elementary and Secondary  
School Educators

 Regulate to Educate: What to Do When Students Struggle with Self-Regulation Without Losing Instructional Time

In this workshop, educators will learn the crucial connection between self-regulation and academic success. Discover why self-regulation is essential not only for emotional well-being but also for students’ ability to perform and engage in learning. You'll explore effective strategies for quickly addressing dysregulation, enabling you to get students back on track without losing valuable instructional time. In this workshop, you’ll uncover how to create a classroom culture of emotional safety, where self-regulation is both taught and valued. Walk away equipped with a toolbox of ready-to-use interventions and activities designed to help students regain focus, stay regulated, and continue learning—no matter what challenges arise throughout the day.
This workshop is designed to help educators not only manage challenging moments but also foster an environment where students feel supported, understood, and ready to learn.

Participants will:

·         Learn key factors affecting self-regulation, such as emotional triggers, stress, executive function, and past experiences

·         Identify early signs of dysregulation, including changes in posture, facial expressions, and body language, for proactive intervention

·         Learn strategies to prevent emotional escalations, including setting expectations, establishing routines, offering breaks, and using mindfulness 

·         Practice co-regulation strategies to model emotional control and help students regain focus

·         Create a self-regulation classroom plan, ensuring a consistent, supportive, and productive learning environment

When: Thursday, November 6, 2025, from 8:30 am to 11:30 am

Delivery Method: In-Person Workshop

Location: The MSAA Office, 33 Forge Parkway, Franklin, MA

Presenter: Kerri Russo, TACC Consulting, LLC

PD Hours: 3 in Content Area Safe and Supportive Learning Environments

Fees: Member $150 / Non-Member $205

MSAA Contact: Ethel Kawesa, ekawesa@msaa.net

Kerri Russo | TACC Consulting, LLC

Kerri Russo brings 20 years of experience as a licensed School Psychologist to her work as the founder of TACC Consulting. Her expertise encompasses a wide range of areas, including cognitive behavioral therapy, ADHD, anxiety, depression, adjustment and learning disorders, social and interpersonal conflicts, and high-functioning autism. Notably, she specializes in emotional regulation strategies that promote both academic and personal success.

Through TACC Consulting, Kerri is dedicated to enhancing classroom environments by empowering children to effectively manage their emotions, thereby unlocking their full learning potential. She partners with schools, teachers, and students to remove learning barriers through emotional regulation and mindfulness strategies. Her mission is to support educators, students, and administrators in creating thriving learning environments. She believes in fostering collaboration, building essential skills, and addressing challenges step by step to empower schools to cultivate resilience, focus, and achievement.

Kerri holds master’s degrees in both Education and Counseling Psychology. She is also a certified Strategic Intervention Life Coach and a graduate of the Mindful Schools Essentials Program. As a mother of four sons, ages 10-20, she understands the importance of emotional well-being, which inspired the creation of TACC Consulting.

Click to connect with Kerri Russo at: https://www.taccconsulting.com/