The Fifteen Self-Discipline Skills

Basic Skills Prompted Birth-K Internalized Grs. K-3rd	1. Listening 2. Following Instructions 3. Questioning 4. Sharing: Time, Space, People and Things 5. Exhibiting Social skills
Constructive Skills Prompted Grs. K-3rd Internalized Grs. 3-7	6. Cooperating with Others 7. Understanding the Reason for Rules 8. Independently Completing a Task 9. Exhibiting Leadership 10. Communicating Effectively
Generative Skills Prompted Grs. K-7th Internalized Grs. 7-12	11. Organizing: Time, Space, People, Things 12. Resolving Mutual Problems 13. Taking the Initiative in Problem Solving 14. Distinguishing Fact From Feeling 15. Sacrificing/Serving Others
Grouping the Skills
The first five skills are called Basic Skills. They are difficult for children in Kindergarten through the end of grade 3 to demonstrate on their own without help. The most basic of all skills is Listening. The symbol for the Basic Skills is the handshake. It reminds us that people need people in order to get along in an institutional environment.
The second five skills are called Constructive Skills. Children in grades 4-7 are developmentally ready to learn these 5 skills. The symbol to represent the second set of skills is the liberty bell, since learning the rights and responsibilities expected of members of our society requires citizens to use Constructive Skills.
Five additional skills are learned from grades 8-High School. The last five skills are called Generative Skills. The demonstration of Generative Skills requires a more comprehensive world view. People are motivated to demonstrate these higher level skills when the needs of others can be recognized and are considered to be important. The symbol of the transmitter reminds us that people who want to make changes in the institutional or democratic environments must transmit what they know to transform the world in which we live.
The skills are grouped into three categories. While children of all ages can be taught something about all fifteen skills, during some phases of a child’s development it is best to focus on certain skills. Each of the fifteen skills is illustrated. Depending upon the culture of your school or home, you may select from the following skill posters available through Discipline With Purpose (See shopping cart - Items 320-329) : A Generic skill set Art posters Native American Hispanic African American Animal posters Scripture based Junior High posters As the program develops, the best illustrations will be those created by parents, students and educators to reflect the unique culture of the home and school.

Program Components

There are four ways to teach the fifteen self-discipline skills.

The four ways are:

1. Modeling the skills-Teachers form a code of ethics and model.
2. Pre-teaching about the skills before events occur.
3. Infusing the vocabulary and practices into an existing curriculum.
4. Discipline With Purpose lesson plans for teaching the skills.

To assist with this teaching a wide variety of materials are available. For a complete listing of resources please go to the Shopping Cart.

1. Administrators /Coordinators Manual and DWP Committee Guidebook used to develop the program over a period of 3 to 5 years.

2. Formal curriculum: Over 280 field tested lesson plans to introduce and teach the 15 self discipline skills. Suitable for grades 1 thru 8.

3. Support materials: Materials for Specialists, Kindergarden, Music, Physical Education, Art and Computer have been included in the program. Since a formal curriculum is frequently not the best way to teach skills when children are in a classroom once or twice a week, ideas to infuse the skills, preteach the skills and use skill language are available for specialists.

4. Special Education/Early Childhood: Teachers working with mildly and severely challenged children have created a curriculum for the fifteen skills. This packet can also be used in preschool before children are developmentally five years of age.

5. Parent Component: Take home activities, Articles For Parents, Parent Workbook and Teaching Certificates.

6. Supplementary Materials: Postcards, Action plans, Pre-teaching checklists, Skill charts and student portfolios are designed to assist in making the self-discipline skills an integral part of the school year. Basic and Constructive Skill DVD's, Religious Education materials and a DWP Newsletter helps participants network with others across the country using the program.

The Fifteen Self-Discipline Skills

Grouping the Skills

Program Components