Self-Discipline

What is self-discipline?

• Self-discipline is self-control and self-restraint.
• Self-discipline is self-reliance and independence.

Students who exercise self-discipline:

• Complete their assignments
• Stay on task
• Wait to be called on
• Work toward personal and community goals
• Try again and again
• Ignore peer pressure
• Choose productive rather than destructive activities
• Control their tempers

Eight ways to strengthen your self-discipline

1. Decide that you really want to be someone who's self-disciplined. Your desire will motivate you to make good choices.
2. Make a personal commitment to develop and strengthen these traits. Write down specific things to do.
3. Learn the rules that determine what you can and cannot do.
4. Be accountable. Accept responsibility for your own behavior. Don't blame others for your actions and decisions.
5. Practice. Self-discipline is something you can teach yourself. For example, set aside time to read more or to clean up.
6. Do activities that enhance your self-discipline like yoga, walking, rock-climbing, practicing a musical instrument.
7. Eliminate harmful habits. For example, if you spend several hours each week watching violent videos or tv programs, make a conscious decision to spend your time in healthier, more productive ways.
8. Start a self-discipline group to plan and carry out activities.

Activities

• Brainstorm a list of problems that might result from a lack of self-discipline: personal appearance, physical-mental-emotional health, school success, life success, friendships, job performance, talents, participation in family-clubs-community-faith, marriage, parenting.
• Do silly exercises to strengthen your self-discipline like not scratching.
• Role-play how you might talk with a younger brother or sister who is demonstrating a lack of self-discipline.
• Write or tell a chain story about a make-believe prince or princess who has no self-discipline.
• Interview scientists, engineers, doctors, and other people to learn the role of self-discipline in training for their careers and in working.
• Investigate different animal species to learn if they use discipline. Is misbehavior punished in young or in a group situation?
• Examine nature to find examples of discipline and order such as patterns.
• Explore tessellations (repeating geometric patterns).
• Research discipline in history.
• Draw cartoons showing examples of self-discipline vs. no discipline.
• Write new lyrics to a popular song that encourage self-discipline, self-restraint, and self-reliance.
• Explore musical dynamics and control.
• Learn about self-discipline in sports.
• Play a "stop-wait-go" game thinking of different situations.

BOOKLIST for SELF-DISCIPLINE

For Grades K-3

Hank and Oogie - Weiss

Ronald Morgan Goes to Bat - Giff

Arthur's Teacher Trouble - Brown

Babushka's Doll - Polacco

Baby Rattlesnake - Ata

Franklin and the Tooth Fairy - Bourgeois

Galimoto - Williams

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse - Henkes

Tops and Bottoms - Stevens

The Dancing Granny - Bryan

Max and Ruby's Midas: Another Greek Myth - Wells

Squawk to the Moon, Little Goose - Preston

The Tale of Peter Rabbit - Potter

Anne Frank - McDonough

Yes I Can! Struggle from Childhood to the NFL - Smith

D.W., Go to Your Room! - Brown

It's Taking Too Long: a Book about Patience - Wagner

The Good Little Girl - David

Little Red Riding Hood - various versions

The Child's World of Self-Control - Gambill

D.W. Flips - Brown

Feelings - Aliki

Sometimes I Feel Like a Mouse - Modesitt

Little Monster Did It! - Cooper

On Monday When It Rained - Kachenmeister

For Grades 3-6

The Book of Virtues - Bennett

Eddie, Incorporated - Naylor

Millie Willenheimer and the Chestnut Corporation - Hughes

Sign of the Beaver - Speare

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - Konigsburg

Island of the Blue Dolphins - O'Dell

A Likely Place - Fox

My Side of the Mountain - George

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