Before we go much further, let's find out just how self-discipline we are.
This assessment is very unscientific but it'll give some good, fast, and dirty data as to where to begin ourselves in having a cogent self-discipline program in our own lives.
Do we finish projects that we start?
Do we avoid setting goals because we know we're simply not going to reach them?
Do we find satisfaction in postponing fun activities until we accomplish what needs to be done in the moment?
What are examples of short as we’ll as long term delayed gratification in our personal and professional lives?
Is “close enough” good enough?
If we haven’t established patterns and habits of self-discipline, how do we expect to pass it on to our students? As I like to say, “Beware the naked man who offers you the shirt off his back”.
Back to the power of visuals when teaching self-discipline.
As you’ve come to see from Part One, a lot of the underpinning for my philosophy on discipline and self-discipline in the classroom rests on visual images, so let's start with one right now.
How would you describe the image of a self-discipline music class in an elementary school?
Let me give you a few of my descriptors.
Children quietly enter the room with no initial prompts from the teacher.
The children sit in an orderly fashion, not talking or touching one another, attention focused on the teacher, student, or object of the moment.
The teacher is not yelling, but using a well-modulated voice. The teacher is maintaining eye contact at all times with the class.
There are visuals on the chalkboard or display area that visually reinforced the positive feedback the teacher is constantly feeding the class.
While the teacher might not always be smiling, the class usually is.
The children are allowed short breaks and when given one prompt from the teacher, promptly resume activities after the break.
The class ends in an orderly fashion with constructive feedback from the teacher detailing just how well the class did that day.
Notice that I did not include any specific activities other than an opening and a closing.
When students walk through your classroom door for the fist time, the first thing students will determine is what you are about.
As my father used to say, people don’t rely on their first impressions; people usually wait about 6 seconds before they size you up.
There is no time like the first class to start developing good self-discipline habits in your class.
How you come across in those first few minutes is crucial for setting the tone for self-discipline as well as discipline.
So how do you insure that the second that kids walk through your doorway, they will be responding in the positive way you anticipate?
You cheat.
You meet them in the hallway as they come approach your room with their teacher.
The following plan is designed to kick-start self-discipline and establish norms with your students.
As they queue up outside your door, you give a no nonsense sixty-second statement of what you expect as they walk through that door.
Your words have to be delivered in a no-ifs-ands-or-butts tone.
This is typically what I said:
“Good morning.
The line leader will patiently wait and listen for music to start playing inside the room. Once the leader hears the sound of music, they will lead the class into the room at which point, everyone will stay in line, not move around to your friend, but stay in line, and sit down in rows.
When one row fills up, the next person starts the next row.
We will remain silent until after the song is finished playing.”
I would then go into the room, start the music and stand by the door and make visual eye contact with each child as they walk through the door.
As the children came into Bach’s “Well-Temple Clavier Book 1 Prelude 1”, I would not smile, I would not grimace; I wore the countenance of the Sphinx, a look that says I'm silently looking at YOU and taking all of this in.
If there were any SNAFUS with formation of lines sitting on the floor or in chairs, I would quietly assist. If someone try to engage me in conversation, I will put my index finger up to my purse lips and shake my head “no”.
After all the children proceeded, I might look for a child who is seated the most upright manner or maybe a student who is sitting with their hands folded in their lap and quietly walk up and give them a guitar pick.
I might also put a positive check under the plus sign on my chalkboard.
“Pluses and Minuses” are given throughout the class.
This assessment is very unscientific but it'll give some good, fast, and dirty data as to where to begin ourselves in having a cogent self-discipline program in our own lives.
Do we finish projects that we start?
Do we avoid setting goals because we know we're simply not going to reach them?
Do we find satisfaction in postponing fun activities until we accomplish what needs to be done in the moment?
What are examples of short as we’ll as long term delayed gratification in our personal and professional lives?
Is “close enough” good enough?
If we haven’t established patterns and habits of self-discipline, how do we expect to pass it on to our students? As I like to say, “Beware the naked man who offers you the shirt off his back”.
Back to the power of visuals when teaching self-discipline.
As you’ve come to see from Part One, a lot of the underpinning for my philosophy on discipline and self-discipline in the classroom rests on visual images, so let's start with one right now.
How would you describe the image of a self-discipline music class in an elementary school?
Let me give you a few of my descriptors.
Children quietly enter the room with no initial prompts from the teacher.
The children sit in an orderly fashion, not talking or touching one another, attention focused on the teacher, student, or object of the moment.
The teacher is not yelling, but using a well-modulated voice. The teacher is maintaining eye contact at all times with the class.
There are visuals on the chalkboard or display area that visually reinforced the positive feedback the teacher is constantly feeding the class.
While the teacher might not always be smiling, the class usually is.
The children are allowed short breaks and when given one prompt from the teacher, promptly resume activities after the break.
The class ends in an orderly fashion with constructive feedback from the teacher detailing just how well the class did that day.
Notice that I did not include any specific activities other than an opening and a closing.
When students walk through your classroom door for the fist time, the first thing students will determine is what you are about.
As my father used to say, people don’t rely on their first impressions; people usually wait about 6 seconds before they size you up.
There is no time like the first class to start developing good self-discipline habits in your class.
How you come across in those first few minutes is crucial for setting the tone for self-discipline as well as discipline.
So how do you insure that the second that kids walk through your doorway, they will be responding in the positive way you anticipate?
You cheat.
You meet them in the hallway as they come approach your room with their teacher.
The following plan is designed to kick-start self-discipline and establish norms with your students.
As they queue up outside your door, you give a no nonsense sixty-second statement of what you expect as they walk through that door.
Your words have to be delivered in a no-ifs-ands-or-butts tone.
This is typically what I said:
“Good morning.
The line leader will patiently wait and listen for music to start playing inside the room. Once the leader hears the sound of music, they will lead the class into the room at which point, everyone will stay in line, not move around to your friend, but stay in line, and sit down in rows.
When one row fills up, the next person starts the next row.
We will remain silent until after the song is finished playing.”
I would then go into the room, start the music and stand by the door and make visual eye contact with each child as they walk through the door.
As the children came into Bach’s “Well-Temple Clavier Book 1 Prelude 1”, I would not smile, I would not grimace; I wore the countenance of the Sphinx, a look that says I'm silently looking at YOU and taking all of this in.
If there were any SNAFUS with formation of lines sitting on the floor or in chairs, I would quietly assist. If someone try to engage me in conversation, I will put my index finger up to my purse lips and shake my head “no”.
After all the children proceeded, I might look for a child who is seated the most upright manner or maybe a student who is sitting with their hands folded in their lap and quietly walk up and give them a guitar pick.
I might also put a positive check under the plus sign on my chalkboard.
“Pluses and Minuses” are given throughout the class.
The very first few positives are given to kids who stand out as exemplary role models.
As Bach’s music played, I would primarily stand at the front of the class, between them and my piano.
If needed, I would walk in between the rows of children just to look at them and know let them know that I am observing them.
If a child decided to test the boundaries and talk, I would immediately walk up to that child, lean over, put my index finger up to my lips give a stern look, and shake my head “no”. No audio response from me, just visual.
Why do I do these things?
Because these things worked for me and my classes.
Because this is a pattern of behaviors that I will do at the beginning of every single class that I ever teach these children.
Every. Single. Class.
I will not waver from this pattern.
I will give them one of the greatest gifts that a teacher possesses: the gift of them being able to predict with 100% accuracy how I'm going to behave and what I'm going to expect from them every single class.
Often, after Bach concluded, I sternly looked at the class and said, “Look how excellent you appear. Observe how intelligent you sound.”
“But, Mr Holmes, we're not saying anything, we're just being quiet.”
“Exactly. Silence is often the greatest evidence of someone’s intelligence!”
More on the connection between the visual and soft discipline in the next post “Stacking Skills: Discipline and Self-discipline - Part Three”
As Bach’s music played, I would primarily stand at the front of the class, between them and my piano.
If needed, I would walk in between the rows of children just to look at them and know let them know that I am observing them.
If a child decided to test the boundaries and talk, I would immediately walk up to that child, lean over, put my index finger up to my lips give a stern look, and shake my head “no”. No audio response from me, just visual.
Why do I do these things?
Because these things worked for me and my classes.
Because this is a pattern of behaviors that I will do at the beginning of every single class that I ever teach these children.
Every. Single. Class.
I will not waver from this pattern.
I will give them one of the greatest gifts that a teacher possesses: the gift of them being able to predict with 100% accuracy how I'm going to behave and what I'm going to expect from them every single class.
Often, after Bach concluded, I sternly looked at the class and said, “Look how excellent you appear. Observe how intelligent you sound.”
“But, Mr Holmes, we're not saying anything, we're just being quiet.”
“Exactly. Silence is often the greatest evidence of someone’s intelligence!”
More on the connection between the visual and soft discipline in the next post “Stacking Skills: Discipline and Self-discipline - Part Three”
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