Self-Management

Students understand that they have the power and responsibility to regulate their emotions, attitudes, and actions and they strive to strengthen the traits of self-discipline and self-control so they can take full advantage of their strengths and virtues and effectively resist negative emotions and impulses.

Key Beliefs:

I will be a better student if I act on the following beliefs:

Sometimes I need to control my emotions and stay focused on my priorities.
I can exercise self-control even when things don’t go my way.
I have the power and responsibility to control how I respond to opportunities and challenges through the choices I make.

Application:

Try to self-regulate emotions and actions, such as reminding yourself to stay on task and pausing and counting before responding to negative emotions.
Role-play scenarios to demonstrate and practice positive expressions of emotions.
Use time management logs, where you can document how long you spend on specific tasks, assignments, or collaborative work.
Learn to prioritize tasks that need to be done.

Quotations:

“Trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.” – Moliere
“I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end.” – Margaret Thatcher
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu
“There is little that can withstand a man who can conquer himself.” – Louis XIV
“A person always breaking off from work never finishes anything.” – Nigerian proverb
“If we don’t discipline ourselves, the world will do it for us.” – William Feather

Lessons:

Using Self-Control (Middle School)
Self-management is being in control of our emotions. Sometimes, people think of feelings as “good” or “bad,” but really, all emotions are normal and there is no right or wrong way to feel. Everyone is different, and people feel different ways in different situations. Instead of “good” or “bad” feelings, we can think of feelings as being “comfortable” and “uncomfortable.” This reminds us that all emotions are perfectly ok to feel, but some of them may make us uncomfortable, and we may want to do things to help us deal with uncomfortable feelings. How we feel is important, but so is how we respond or act. Accepting how we are feeling can help us respond and act inappropriate ways.

Process and Reflection:

Can you think of a comfortable emotion or one that you enjoy or are ok with feeling?
What about an uncomfortable emotion or one you don’t like to feel?

Articles:

The brain is where emotions and regulation occurs.
Our brain stem controls our basic needs for survival, including the fight/flight/freeze response. When we are in a situation of tension or conflict, we get the instinct to fight, run away or freeze. The brain stem is connected to the limbic system or emotional center of the brain, and so when we are in these situations, our emotions also flood our brains, including the cerebral cortex, or logical center.

Sometimes the flight/fight/freeze response is necessary, like when you are about to cross the street and a car comes zooming at you, but other times, we can regulate ourselves and our emotions in order to connect with our cerebral cortex and react more productively.

Videos:

Wet Cement – Patience is the hardest to find when you need it the most! In this charming moment where a young boy innocently sloshes through wet cement, we find ourselves asking the question, What would I do? https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-stories-tv-spots/107-wet-cement

Educational Outcomes:

Self-Discipline