Home   |   News & Events   |   SCRIP   |   Contact us
  SCCS Parents  
  PowerSchool  
  Endowment  
  Alumni  
  About SCCS  
  Ark of Angels Preschool  
  Elementary (K - 5)  
  Middle School  
  Academics  
  Athletics/Activities  
  Enrollment  

DISCIPLINE WITH PURPOSE

The fifteen skills taught and practiced through Discipline With Purpose are valuable helps to people in whatever role they are in - whether children, adults, parents, students, teachers, team members, even employers and employees! The fifteen skills can be divided into three areas: Basic Skills, Constructive Skills, and Generative Skills.

Basic Skills

Listening

  1. Stop what I am doing or saying.
  2. Clear away all distractions.
  3. Look at or toward the person speaking.
  4. Be able to telll the person what I heard.
  5. Ask questions about what was not understood.
  6. Do the task the speaker has requested.

Following Instructions

  1. Practice good listening skills.
  2. Repeat the instructions to myself or write them down.
  3. List or say the first three things I need to do to begin the task.
  4. Start on time.
  5. Stay on task the entire work time.
  6. Evaluate the task and how I followed instructions at the end of the work time.

Asking questions

  1. Ask questions that have not been asked before.
  2. Ask questions that the speaker hasn't already told us about.
  3. Other people might need answered too.
  4. Ask questions that will make the speaker feel comfortable and not ill at ease.
  5. Ask questions that help people think.
  6. Keep the conversation on topic.

Sharing

  1. Time - Wait my turn; Begin tasks at once; Limit conversations during group discussion time so others can talk too.
  2. Space - Hallways, between desks or tables, and common areas, playground,
  3. People - The teacher, friends and loved ones need to be shared by others.
  4. Things - Share limited resources and return things in good condition or the same way or better than I found them; mark items that are not yet ready to be shared.

Social Skills

  1. Use table manners.
  2. Say "Please", "Thank You" and "Excuse Me."
  3. Dress appropriately.
  4. Attend to personal hygiene.
  5. Give and receive compliments.
  6. Use greeting and leaving skills.
  7. Help visitors/newcomers feel comfortable.

Constructive Skills

Cooperation - is to work and act with others for the good of everyone. In a school setting, one way to show cooperation is to follow the school norms, and be willing to take the consequences if the norms are not followed.

  1. Recognize there is a job to be done.
  2. Be able to tell the goal.
  3. Brainstorm ideas to reach the goal.
  4. Agree on a strategy and assign tasks.
  5. Complete my share of the task on time.
  6. Talk about how the group accomplished the task.
  7. Make recommendations on the strategies that helped or hindered cooperation.

Understanding The Reasons for Rules

  1. Know the rules and be able to recite them to others.
  2. Ask someone when I don't understand the rule or the reason for the rule.
  3. Choose to follow the rule because I understand the reason even if I don't feel like doing it.
  4. Follow the rules because I don't like a rule, I will use the right way to suggest changes.

Accomplishing a Task - Younger children can practice this skill by following the system others put into place. Older students demonstrate this skill when they begin to figure out how to do something on their own.

  1. Brainstorm at least three different ways to accomplish the same task.
  2. Select the way that will help you accomplish your goal with the best way.
  3. Set a realistic time limit.
  4. Follow my plan to get the entire job done or just  a portion of it.
  5. Continue to work on my plan if I didn't finish the job.
  6. Evaluate the results.

Leadership - A leader is a person who: 

  1. Sees the needs of others and considers them important.
  2. Stands on the side of truth, even if they stand alone.
  3. Acts on behalf of another, even if they are inconvenienced.

Communication

  1. Recognize and use proper verbal and non-verbal communication.
  2. Use good listening skills.
  3. Respect different points of view.
  4. Avoid sarcasm, put-downs, and gossip.
  5. Ask others questions that begin with "W" or "H" to discover what is important to them.
  6. End on a postive note.
  7. Thank others for communicating.

Generative Skills

Organization - There are four things I can learn to organize:

  1. Time - Be aware of time schedules and value them; Plan ahead and follow through; Evaluate the success of time management.
  2. Space - Keep the environment orderly.
  3. People - Know parliamentary procedure and other ways to conduct orderly meetings and gatherings.
  4. Things - Recognize opportunities to simplify and order material things.

Resolving Problems

  1. Recognize when a problem exists and attempt to identify the cause.
  2. Explore all the facts.
  3. Brainstorm possible ways to solve the conflict and use "what if" thinking to explore the consequences.
  4. Discard unrealistic solutions or any solution that will cause a problem for someone else.
  5. Choose a solution, follow thorugh, and evaluate the results.

Initiating Solutions - When a person takes the first step to resolve a problem, these guidelines can be helpful.

  1. Always go to the source of the problem.
  2. Talk it through with a neutral person if I need to.
  3. When I need to speak to an adult or peer, I will make an appointment.
  4. I will put what I want to say in writing to help me be clear.
  5. Be clear about the results I am hoping for.

Remember: I cannot fix a problem by making a problem for anyone else.

Separating Fact From Feeling

  1. Admit to myself how I feel; name my feelings.
  2. Don't blame myself for feeling that way. Feelings are neither good or bad.
  3. Report my feelings to the person best able to help with the situation.
  4. Start my sentences with, "I feel ____ when you ______, because ______."
  5. Put the conversation on hold until I have sorted facts from feelings.

Making Sacrifices

  1. Two or more valuable things cannot be held at the same time. (Things can be time, space, actions, etc.)
  2. Compare the things according to the needs of others or what is best for most people.
  3. Decide which to keep and which to let go of.
  4. Focus on the satisfaction of the choice for the greater good or for the benefit of someone other than yourself.



St. Croix Catholic School    |    621 South Third Street, Stillwater, MN 55082    |    Phone: 651.439.5581    |    Fax: 651.439.8360
http://www.webaloo.com