DWP (Discipline With Purpose)

Basic Skills

LISTENING

1. Stop what I am doing or saying
2. Clear away all distractions
3. Look at or toward the person speaking
4. Be able to tell the person what I heard
5. Ask questions about what was not understood
6. Do the task the speaker has requested

FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Practice good listening skills.
2. Repeat the instructions to myself or write them down.
3. List or say the first three things I need to do to begin the task.
4. Start on time.
5. Stay on task the entire work time.
6. Evaluate the task and how I followed instructions at the end of the work time.

ASKING QUESTIONS

1. Have not been asked before.
2. The speaker hasn’t already told us about.
3. Other people might need answered too.
4. Will make the speaker feel comfortable and not ill at ease.
5. Help people think.
6. Keep the conversation on the topic.

SHARING

1. Time
   • I will wait my turn
   • I will begin tasks at once.
   • I will limit my conversations during group discussion time so others can talk, too.
2. Space - Hallways, between desks or tables, and common areas, playground, lunchroom, etc. are all places I can keep neat so others can enjoy them, too.
3. People - The teacher, friends and loved ones need to be shared by others.
4. Things
   • I can share limited resources and return things in good condition or the same way or better than I found them.
   • I will mark items that are not yet ready to be shared.

SOCIAL SKILLS

1. Use table manners.
2. Say “Please” , “Thank You” and “Excuse Me.”
3. Dress appropriately
4. Attend to personal hygiene
5. Give and receive compliments
6. Use greeting and leaving skills
7. Help visitors/newcomers feel comfortable

Constructive Skills

COOPERATION 

Cooperation is to work and act with others for the good of everyone. In a school setting, one way to show cooperation is to follow the school norms, and be willing to take the consequences if the norms are not followed. 

1. Recognize there is a job to be done.
2. Be able to tell the goal.
3. Brainstorm ideas to reach the goal.
4. Agree on a strategy and assign tasks.
5. Complete my share of the task on time.
6. Talk about how the group accomplished the task.
7. Make recommendations on the strategies that helped or hindered cooperation.

UNDERSTANDING THE REASONS FOR RULES

1. Know the rules and be able to recite them to others.
2. Ask someone when I don't understand the rule or the reason for the rule.
3. Choose to follow the rule because I understand the reason even if I don't feel like doing it.
4. Follow the rules because I know the reasons, and teach them to younger persons or others who do not know the rules.
5. If I don't like a rule, I will use the right way to suggest changes.

ACCOMPLISHING A TASK

Younger children can practice this skill by following the system others put into place.  Older students demonstrate this skill when they begin to figure out how to do something on their own.

1. Brainstorm at least three different ways to accomplish the same task.
2. Select the way that will help you accomplish your goal with the best quality and in the given time.
3. Set a realistic time limit.
4. Follow my plan to get the entire job done or just a portion of it.
5. Continue to work on my plan if I didn't finish the job.
6. Evaluate the results.

LEADERSHIP

A leader is a person who:

1. Sees the needs of others and considers them important.
2. Stands on the side of truth, even if they stand alone.
3. Acts on behalf of another, even if they are inconvenienced.

COMMUNICATION

1. Recognize and use proper verbal and non-verbal communication.
2. Use good listening skills
3. Respect different points of view.
4. Avoid sarcasm, put-downs and gossip.
5. Ask others questions that begin with “W” or “H” to discover what is important to them.
6. End on a positive note.
7. Thank others for communicating.

Generative Skills

ORGANIZATION

There are four things I can learn to organize:

1. Time
   1. Be aware of time schedules and value them.
   2. Plan ahead and follow through.
   3. Evaluate the success of time management.
2. Space - Keep the environment orderly
3. People - Know parliamentary procedures and other ways to conduct orderly meetings and gatherings.
4. Things - Recognize opportunities to simplify and order material things.

RESOLVING PROBLEMS

1. Recognize when a problem exists and attempt to identify the cause.
2. Explore all the facts.
3. Brainstorm possible ways to solve the conflict and use "what if" thinking to explore the consequences.
4. Discard unrealistic solutions or any solution that will cause a problem for someone else.
5. Choose a solution, follow through, and evaluate the results.

INITIATING SOLUTIONS

When a person takes the first step to resolve a problem, these guidelines can be helpful.

1. Always go to the source of the problem.
2. Talk it through with a neutral person if I need to.
3. When I need to speak to an adult or peer, I will make an appointment.
4. I will put what I want to say in writing to help me be clear.
5. Be clear about the results I am hoping for.

Remember: I cannot fix a problem by making a problem for anyone else.

SEPARATING FACT FROM FEELING

1. Admit to myself how I feel; name my feelings.
2. Don't blame myself for feeling that way.  Feelings are neither good or bad.
3. Report my feelings to the person best able to help with the situation.
4. Start my sentences with, "I feel ___ when you ___, because ___"
5. Put the conversation on hold until I have sorted facts from feelings.

MAKING SACRIFICES

A sacrifice is an act of giving something up in order to gain something equally as good or better.

1. Two or more valuable things cannot be held at the same time. (Things can be time, space, actions, etc.)
2. Compare the things according to the needs of others or what is best for most people.
3. Decide which to keep and which to let go of.
4. Focus on the satisfaction of the choice for the greater good or for the benefit of someone other than yourself.