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Discipline: Applicable in all subjects.
Age level: Grade 5-12
Time: 1/2 hour
Materials: Copies of “Discipline Manifestos“, a board or chart paper for writing on/markers
Created by: Aleta Margolis, Founder and President, Center for Inspired Teaching
This activity invites students to redefine the concept of Discipline. In this redefinition, discipline is about freedom of expression, not conformity. Discipline is curiosity driven by focus and self-motivation — not compliance driven by punishment. In such a context, school discipline looks like being deeply engaged in doing work that matters, to students and their community. Inspired Teaching has done this activity with teachers many, many times, opening the door to deep conversations about what it means to create such a learning environment for students. In configuring this activity for students, there is an opportunity for the class to play an active role in shaping expectations so everyone can achieve the aspirational kind of discipline they imagine.
Note that this reimagining of Discipline includes room for having clear expectations — along with consequences, both for meeting and not meeting those expectations. In fact, this kind of discipline expects far more of students because they are not expected simply to follow someone else’s rules. They are instead expected to go through the process of creating their own rules, figuring out what they themselves need in order to thrive, and then live with and by those rules.
What to do:
Part 1: Defining Discipline
Begin by introducing students to the dictionary definition of discipline: discipline
dis·ci·pline ˈdi-sə-plən (s)
- a: control gained by enforcing obedience or order
b: orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior
c: self-control - punishment
- training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character
- a field of study
- a rule or system of rules governing conduct or activity
- instruction
Ask students to think of their own definition in the context of school. Try something like: These are dictionary definitions of what the word means, but what does it mean here, in our school? When you hear someone talk about discipline as it’s related to behavior, what comes to mind?
Write whatever students say on one side of the board or chart paper. Label this list “Discipline 1”.
Then, ask students to close their eyes and imagine you’re an artist…decide your medium…imagine what your days look like—your mornings, afternoons, etc…open your eyes…what is discipline?
Write whatever students say on the other side of the board of chart paper.
Once again, ask students to close their eyes and prompt them: Imagine you are an athlete… Decide your sport… Imagine what your days look like — your mornings, afternoons, etc…Open your eyes…What is discipline?
Add what students say after this exercise to the same side of the board/chart paper where you wrote responses to being an artist. Label this list “Discipline 2”.
Now ask students to look at these two lists and notice what is the same or different about them. Consider questions like:
- What do you notice about Discipline 1?
- What do you notice about Discipline 2?
- What does this make you think about discipline?
- As a student in school, which list best describes your experience?
- Which kind of discipline would you prefer to experience? Why?
- What would you need from this class — me, your teacher, and your peers, in order to spend more time in Discipline 2?
Part 2: Discipline Manifesto
Share with students this definition of “manifesto”:
manifesto (n)
man·i·fes·to ˌma-nə-ˈfe-(ˌ)stō
a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer
Explain to students that they will be creating their own “Discipline Manifestos” in which they lay out what discipline means to them and what they plan to do to be disciplined this year according to their own definition. Students can work off this handout or create their own. After students have taken time to write these down, they can share them in small groups or with the whole class. Invite discussion about where these individual manifestos are similar and different. Depending on your timing and goals, you might challenge the class to come up with a comprehensive manifesto that could work for the class as a whole.
Standards Addressed by this Activity
Common Core College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Language
Conventions of Standard English:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
Knowledge of Language:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.3 Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.
Common Core College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing
Text Types and Purposes:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
Production and Distribution of Writing:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
Common Core College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening
Comprehension and Collaboration:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.3 Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.
Common Core College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading
Craft and Structure:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.4 Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.9 Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning Competencies
Self-Awareness: The abilities to understand one’s own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior across contexts. This includes capacities to recognize one’s strengths and limitations with a well-grounded sense of confidence and purpose.
Self-management: The abilities to manage one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations. This includes the capacities to delay gratification, manage stress, and feel motivation and agency to accomplish personal and collective goals.
Social awareness: The abilities to understand the perspectives of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and contexts. This includes the capacities to feel compassion for others, understand broader historical and social norms for behavior in different settings, and recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.
Responsible decision-making: The abilities to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse situations. This includes the capacities to consider ethical standards and safety concerns, and to evaluate the benefits and consequences of various actions for personal, social, and collective well-being.
Relationship skills: The abilities to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and to effectively navigate settings with diverse individuals and groups. This includes the capacities to communicate clearly, listen actively, cooperate, work collaboratively to problem solve and negotiate conflict constructively, navigate settings with differing social and cultural demands and opportunities, provide leadership, and seek or offer help when needed.
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards
| Dimension 1: Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries | Dimension 4: Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed Action |
|---|---|
| Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries | Communicating and Critiquing Conclusions |
| Taking Informed Action |