On Wednesday, Saklan Kindergarten through 8th-grade students engaged in a thoughtful and interactive Family Group lesson focused on developing self-discipline, an essential skill that supports learning, emotional regulation, and personal growth.
The lesson began by inviting students to reflect on what self-discipline means to them. Through discussion, students identified self-discipline as recognizing when support is needed to achieve a goal and having the ability to bring themselves back on track. Together, they created a web of ideas on the board, placing “Self-Discipline” at the center and surrounding it with their own thoughts and experiences.
From there, students explored the many moments at school when self-discipline is needed. They shared examples such as staying focused, managing fidgety feelings, handling stress or big emotions, listening actively, raising a hand instead of calling out, and navigating moments of silliness or frustration. This conversation helped normalize the challenges students face and reinforced that self-discipline is a skill everyone practices and strengthens over time.
To introduce practical strategies, students watched a short, engaging video featuring Cookie Monster learning tools to resist his love of cookies. Together, the group reviewed the strategies Cookie Monster used (counting, singing, and imagining something calming) and discussed why these tools might work for him, as well as why different strategies may be more helpful in a school setting.
Students then applied their thinking to real-life scenarios. Through role-play and group discussion, they explored situations such as being cut in line, feeling nervous before a test, forgetting lunch, struggling to stop giggling, or feeling upset when a classmate takes something without asking. For each scenario, students worked collaboratively to identify healthy, self-disciplined responses and the tools that could help them regain control and focus.
To bring the learning together, students created a visual poster highlighting different situations and the tools that support self-discipline.
This lesson emphasized that self-discipline isn’t about being perfect; it’s about noticing when something feels hard and having strategies to help oneself move forward. Through discussion, creativity, and collaboration, students strengthened their understanding of self-discipline as a skill they can practice every day, building confidence and resilience along the way.
#SaklanSEL
FRIDAY BLOG 