What is discipline? Discipline in this content encompasses regularities, diligence, punctuality, endurance, dedication, continuity, focus and above all, the ability to recognise what you are supposed to do, doing it at the right time without being pushed or forced to do so in a manner that depict maturity.

The greatest enemy of success is indiscipline. You must be discipline to become an achiever. Until you recognised the fact that an average human being is a statute of indiscipline you will not be able to differentiated discipline from indiscipline. You ability to differentiate between the two opposite words is what make you discipline. High level of discipline is required to be successful in anything you are doing, whether online or offline. The higher the level of your discipline, the higher your chances of being a leader. It is high level of discipline that contributes to making some people leaders and others the leads. For instance it takes up to 50% discipline to be able to graduate from the university. In the university, there is nobody to push you to read your books. Nobody will even flog you for not attending classes. This is why it takes an average disciplinarian to graduate from a university.

Have you ever asked yourself why is it that graduates are more successful in any field they found themselves than nor scholars? The reason is simple. It is because they have been trained to do their own things without being pushed during their school days. So discipline has become part of them.

Another side of discipline that without it, this content will not be complete is that so many times we find our mind willing to do something at the right time but often times the body will not be willing. Have you not experienced it? Yes. I have experienced it myself. Your ability to understand that your body is not will to obey the command of your mind is an act of indiscipline, the more discipline you will be and also the more successful, you are likely to be in anything you are doing.

Still on discipline, so many times we find ourselves doing the wrong things even though our mind disapproves it. For instance, spending valuable times doing unproductive things- such as hanging out with boyfriends, girlfriends, engaging in an unprofitable affairs etc. You know what I am talking about. Don’t you? Yes, smokers don’t actually like smoking, their mind disapproved it, but consciously or unconsciously they found themselves still smoking. So try as much as possible to do those things that your mind approved and avoid those things that your mind disapproved even though your body is willing to do them.

Has it ever occurred to you before, that it is only extra ordinary people that achieve great success? The more ordinary you are the lesser your chances of being successful. Likewise, the more extra ordinary you try to make yourself the higher your chances of being successful. Now let us find out the difference between ordinary and extra ordinary person. The difference is the extra that is in extra ordinary person. Extra ordinary person does a little extra work, spend a little extra time wisely, has a little extra patience, excise a little extra care, and above all do almost everything he does just a little better than his peers and rivals. And the only drive that makes you extra ordinary is discipline.

Below are some of the guide line to maintain high level of discipline

1 You must always be punctual in your office and all your appointment.

2 You must learn how to do things without being reminded, in a manner that depicts maturity.

3 You must know that any wasted time can never be regained.

4 You must avoid procrastination. Do not live what you are supposed to do now for the next minute.

5 Avoid everything that does not add value to you 6 Practice and know how to relate with people.

In conclusion, discipline and attitude is the number one key in the fundamental keys to success. The secrete to great success is discipline. It is a strong requirement to succeed in life. You must try as much as possible to be discipline in everything you do. Though it is not easy but you have to practice it and make it your watch word. If you are able to use effectively, this number one key to success, I meant discipline, success must be yours.

Written by Felix O. Ebago

Managing security guards can be quite challenging. Fairly or unfairly, they are sometimes underpaid or not given proper respect and this can create conflict and resentment. No one likes to be disciplined and security officers are no exception. It is always good to follow the below suggestions when one is forced to discipline guards for misbehavior or misconduct:

1) First get their side of the story. It’s quite possible that there is an error in the facts. Before one takes any kind of disciplinary action they must have their facts straight. It’s possible, in other words, that when the officer share their view of what occurred you may change your mind about their wrongdoing.

2) Always have a witness. This is very important, especially if the misconduct or action taken by the guard is serious. First of all, you have no idea how the officer may react. It’s good to have a backup person who can recite what happened should things get out of control. Moreover, if the officer denies that the conversation ever took place or recounts that it went down in a different way, you have a verifiable witness who can attest to your side in terms of how the conversation transpired.

3) Always write down what happened. Recount the events or ‘misbehavior’ as accurately as possible. Have the officer sign any kind of disciplinary measure that you may take. If the officer refuses to sign then put that in your notes or, if you want, even in the form that the guards will sign. These forms vary in style and content. The form itself should express the word ‘warning’ on it somewhere.

4) Make sure the action you take against the officer is fair-minded and not excessive. There is an article written called Security Los Angeles which can be found online and details the right punishment, as it were, for common offenses.

5) Make sure Post Orders exist. For those that don’t know what Post Orders are, they are rules an regulations that exist at any given account for officers to follow. They are relevant so that the guards know what is expected from them. Each rule or regulation must be signed by every officer at the account.

The above is simply a short list of how to discipline officers. Always keep in mind their job is not an easy one. Try and have compassion and remember to first hear their side of the story. The officer may end up just admitting to the wrongdoing and practically be more willing to take the criticism.

Parents never leave the hospital with their brand new babies and think to themselves, “I need to have a punishment plan for my child.” Nevertheless, as time goes on, parents find that sometimes things don’t go perfectly, and children don’t always act with complete obedience, and so they do more punishing of their children than they would like to be doing. This tends to wear out even the best of parents, but the issue is not one of punishment, but rather one of discipline.

The role of a parent is to teach their children how to live and act so that they are safe, healthy, growing in knowledge and skill, and being equipped with all of the opportunities to live independent lives one day. This doesn’t happen overnight, but happens only with time and careful attention to consistency and purpose. Parents must train their children how to do this, just as an athlete trains for a race. Training involves demonstration, repetition, correction, and encouragement. It’s a process. For many parents, the toughest one on that list is correction because it tends to become punitive and shows up as punishment rather than discipline.

Punishment is about the negative outcome while discipline is focused on the preventative steps. If a child is trained well, they will understand the goal, have seen the methods or ways in which to be successful, and they will be expected to repeat that process of doing it. They will also understand that if they make a mistake, there may be some consequences (discipline), but those consequences are not meted out in anger or frustration. They are merely the result of an action. But this type of discipline comes from a perspective of desired growth for the child, just as a coach would ask the athlete to repeat the drill or to stay for an extra practice to increase their abilities. Discipline is designed to redirect the actions towards the desired goal.

Punishment, however, tends to be meted out in anger. It is reactive and not gentle. It’s filled with emotion that makes a point (such as, “You failed!”) rather than pointing towards a goal (such as, “How can you do this better next time?”) Punishment is retaliatory in nature because the child interrupted the parent’s plans or activities. Punishment can focus on what the parent wants at that moment, such as peace and quiet, not to be interrupted, not to be embarrassed, etc.

The challenge for parents is to be aware of the training that they are doing. They need to know the goals for their children. Having a family vision statement to be focused on is important to the life and faith of each family. Once that is in place, like coaches, parents need to be consistent and intentional about the training plan. They need to remember to demonstrate the skills they want their children to know, practice the skills with them, repeat them again, and as necessary, redirect the attentions towards the goals that are important for each child’s overall welfare.

In his newest book, Robert Schwartz, Sensei to the modern day Labor Samurai, has finally taken his original work, The Legal Rights of Union Stewards, and filled in the missing sections, completing the picture.

While Legal Rights is a masterpiece of Union lore and tech, used daily at the shop floor by stewards everywhere, it was seriously lacking in hard, nuts and bolts information about the nitty gritty workings of discharge, discipline and the ways to counter them.

Just Cause starts off with the principles of just cause, insubordination and off-duty misconduct. Dishonesty, sleeping on the job and sexual harassment along with other infractions round out the offenses but it doesn’t stop there. Schwartz doesn’t just regurgitate the same old rhetoric about the “seven test of just cause” he goes further by giving the reader a much more practical set of tests which include tenants of due process, substantial proof as well as mitigating circumstances. Later chapters deal with advice on filing grievances, requesting information as well as organizing support for the grievants.

As with his earlier books Schwartz provides real world, working knowledge for the working Joe Steward as well as the labor professional.

Footnotes and endnotes are once again provided to direct readers to arbitration awards and relevant court decisions as well as a “Question and Answer” section at the end of each chapter.

In additional to the sardonic illustrations you will an appendix of sample contract language, an appendix of basic principles of just cause and finally an appendix of the original Daugherty Tests (the original seven tests of just cause).

I found it easy to understand and digest. It really dove into the meat of the issues without getting bogged down in the legal mumbo jumbo that you get from most books written by attorneys. This book is designed and written to be read and used on the shop floor by the men and women who write, file and prosecute grievances.

Priced at only $20.00 plus shipping and handling this 174 page powerhouse is well worth the price. I recommend you buy two, because if you are anything like me, you will be loaning one out before you know it.

Work Rights Press

PO Box 391066

Cambridge, MA 02139

http://www.workrightspress.com

Mr. Schwartz has also published The FMLA Handbook, How to Win Past Practice Grievances and Strikes, Picketing and Inside Campaigns. All are available to order through his website listed above.

Enjoy!

Kittens certainly are one of the most delightful pets to have, providing us with plenty of entertainment as they romp and play, getting into mischief and some downright silly situations. It’s the mischief that concerns many owners, and they feel they must control it somehow.

Animal experts, including veterinarians, are often bombarded with questions from pet owners about “disciplining” their new kitten. Some of the most disturbing comments include references to spanking the poor little things!

Perhaps because humans are generally raised with discipline that often translates into a reward-and-punishment system, they believe it applies to animals as it does to children.

Reward and punishment are fast losing their acceptability in a good training environment, however, as people are beginning to notice it is less effective with animals. For that to be useful at all, the subject must have the ability to learn to make judgments about their own behavior. This requires the ability to use logic and to spend time thinking about things. Animals don’t do this. They live in the moment, in the “now.” Yes, they may remember that certain actions yield certain results, and they can learn from that. But if we’re supposed to be smarter than the animals, then it’s up to us to be the ones using logic and thinking about things.

One must NEVER use physical force, including spanking, on a kitten. It’s just not necessary, and can cause injuries, sometimes death. In fact, hitting any pet is never necessary. Try using a reward vs. no reward system instead.

The following common naughty kitten behaviors can easily be handled gently and lovingly by caring and patient owners:

1. Not using the litter box. Under normal circumstances, this should never be an issue at all. Kittens are taught by their mothers how to use the sand. If a kitten is not familiar with sand, or kitty litter, it’s usually because the little guy was removed from his mother too soon. Kittens need to be with their mothers for at least 3 months – 12 weeks – but this is not usually the way it’s done. People want the pleasure of teaching their own kitten themselves from the earliest time possible. Some even get a huge bang out of bottle feeding them, but this is logical only if the kitten has been orphaned and no suitable surrogate can be located.

If you have an orphan kitten, you will have to be a substitute mother and train him to use a litter box. It’s not difficult. Simply place the kitten into the box shortly after he’s eaten or drank, and stroke the rear end gently, speaking softly to encourage him. If you have other cats, allow the kitten to watch the older ones using the box. Cats learn by observation and imitation.

Probably the most important thing any cat or kitten owner can do to help ensure their pet will continue to use the litter box is to always keep it clean.

2. Scratching furniture. Kittens absolutely must scratch. They can’t help not doing it. It is up to you to provide the proper environment for them to stretch their toes and exercise their front legs and paws. If they are declawed at this time, it can affect the normal development of leg and paw muscles. However, declawing an adult cat has even more profound results and some cats never overcome them. Provide a scratching post or pad, and encourage them to use it by being calm and happy each time they do. Don’t bother with catnip yet; kittens aren’t sensitive to it until they are much older, if at all. Some cats don’t seem to notice catnip. If you catch your kitten scratching something he shouldn’t, simply pick him up and take him to the post. Don’t yell, don’t hit, and don’t become angry. This only teaches him that you can be unpredictable and fearsome. They seldom associate their action with your reaction.

3. Getting into things. All youngsters love and need to explore. It’s how they learn what’s in their world and how to navigate it. If not permitted to learn things in this way, their social skills or even survival skills will be stunted. However, as their guardians, it’s up to us to ensure they stay safe while having a good time as they learn. With kittens, we need to provide plenty of toys, hiding places, climbing opportunities, and best of all, together time, where they learn to trust and interact with you. Just remember to be gentle and considerate. Never play rough with a kitten, or you will be responsible for creating a little biting monster. It’s cute and not too painful to put up with their claws and teeth at 6 weeks old, but you do not want to wonder what happened to your gentle ball of fluff when he’s 2 years old and is drawing blood.

Next, once they are old enough to jump onto countertops, it’s time to nip that in the bud, or you may never stop them. The most effective tactics seem to be related to loud noises. Never hit a kitten off a counter. It could seriously injure him. You can continually lift him off and place him back on the floor, but most cats don’t seem to get it. Instead, make a loud noise. Slap the counter with something flat…a paddle, perhaps…or use a can of compressed air that blows a very loud horn. Sometimes just a blast of air will do the trick.

If a kitten’s environment is sufficiently interesting – and safe – they will be less likely to get into things that don’t concern them. Owners can help by “toddler-proofing” their home and protecting any possessions they want to keep intact.

ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a disorder that commonly affects children by making them hyperactive with low attention span, it has been seen that boys are inflicted more than the girls. The typical symptoms include difficulty in controlled behavior, low focus and attention span and hyperactivity. But considering the increasing levels of behavioral issues plaguing schools and homes, isn’t ADHD just an excuse for a lack of discipline?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity (ADHD) symptoms

Most parents of children diagnosed with ADHD complain of violent behavior patterns with children of 7 to 9 years hitting siblings and others that prevent them from doing things they want to do. As per studies conducted on ADHD and childhood behavior patterns, here are some of the common symptoms:

• Distraction

• Forgetfulness and daydreaming patterns

• Low attentions span

• Poor listening skills

• Poor concentration

• Heightened activity- running, inability to play quietly

• Aggressive and violent behavior

However, aggressive behavior and anger is a common pattern seen in young and older aged children diagnosed with this disorder. It has been seen that feelings of frustration coupled with lack of communication of emotions vent out as aggressive and violent behavior patterns.

Though they are developmentally delayed, it has been seen that the urge to resist aggressive behavior is lacking. But the fact that children have communication issues along with poor focus, reinforcement of instructions does help. But it is also seen in kids with poor discipline and lower levels of parental control.

Can poor parenting skills lead to misdiagnosis as ADHD?

But coming back to the question that isn’t ADHD just an excuse for a lack of discipline, it is true that in some cases, indiscipline is camouflaged by ADHD. Poor parenting skills compounded by lack of discipline can label the kids afflicted with ADHD. But not all children diagnosed with ADHD are categorized such due to lack of discipline. This is a serious behavioral disorder that continues to adulthood unless there is medical and therapeutic intervention. Though there is no cure for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Syndrome, some medicines and behavioral therapy is advised by physicians depending upon individual evaluation.

Oftentimes, it is easy for parents to put the blame on the children citing medical disorders than introspecting on their own parenting skills. They take the child from doctor to doctors till the symptoms are correlated with a behavioral problem, which is one of the reasons that ADHD is misdiagnosed. Most of the children with such poor parenting and discipline issue, who are labeled as ADHD, get away with misbehavior. However, the children that are misdiagnosed and put on drugs suffer lifelong side-effects which could have been avoided with little discipline.

Thus, in a way, isn’t ADHD just an excuse for a lack of discipline? Yes, it is in some cases while in others, it is for the betterment of the child to receive proper guidance and therapy to enhance communication skills and increase focus. It is the role of parents to wisely notice the symptoms, stay balanced and the skill of the doctor to be able to diagnose correctly.

There are several key questions that should be considered in your grief healing discipline:

1- How Is Your Grief Healing Discipline?

At this time of your unwanted grief, sorrow, and loss how is your grief healing discipline?

“Self-disciplined begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don’t control what you think, you can’t control what you do. Simply, self-discipline enables you to think first and act afterward.”

~ Napoleon Hill

You are your best advocate or your worst enemy. Recognize you can harm yourself by your unguarded unchecked negative thoughts. Conversely, a positive healing discipline can be your best empowering partner.

2- What Do You Think?

Let’s be honest. Life has its ups and downs. It has its hardships.

“A happy life consists not in the absence, but in the mastery of hardships.”

~ Helen Keller

As you think about your deepest grief and sorrow it is a high priority to guard against harmful disengaging thoughts.

“What we think, we become. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.”

~ The Buddha

Your quiet, your loud, your secret, your private thoughts and how you let them effect your actions determine the long term lasting you.

“A man is but the product of his thoughts – what he thinks, he becomes.”

~ Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi

What are your life goals? Do your thoughts guide you and maintain your direction beneficially to heal from your grieving?

“We each have a sixth sense that is attuned to the oneness dimension in life, providing a means for us to guide our lives in accord with our ideas.”

~ Henry Reed

Have you taken the time to evaluate how your thoughts control your life for the bad or the good? Do you need to consider an immediate self-thought upgrade?

3- What Are Your Questions To The Cheshire Cat?

“One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. “Which road do I take?” she asked. His response was a question: “Where do you want to go?” “I don’t know,” Alice answered. “Then,” said the cat, “it doesn’t matter.”

~ Lewis Carroll

Which grief healing road will you take? Your life is different if you know the healing road you will choose and what is deeply important. Then to keep the canvas your thoughts have painted clearly in mind is highly relevant to your healing. This enables you to manage your actions daily and do what really matters most.

4- When Will You Begin?

The answer is always “NOW!”

Winnie the Pooh underscores an essential understanding you should embrace:

“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” ~ Winnie the Pooh

Embracing Winnie Pooh’s thoughts that you are in fact braver, stronger, and smarter than you imagined in your troubled time of grief and loss is essential to help you to start healing. In your inner self are undiscovered empowerments that you can draw upon. Believe, imagine, and think about your personal abilities to reconcile your sorrow and regain happiness and peace. Your utmost efforts should be to stop grieving and start healing. Within you are unused courage, tougher, and keener strengths that are unique to you. You can draw upon them. Search for them – BEGIN NOW!

A “culture of discipline” is a phrase used by Jim Collins (Good to Great) in his study of great companies. All of the great companies, those that far outperform others, have a culture of discipline. This does not mean that they spend their time disciplining people. When you have a culture of discipline you rarely need to discipline people.

A culture of discipline is not about punishing people, but it is about control. It is about self control. Disciplined thinking leads to disciplined action. All greatness, whether it be in athletics, music, art, business, leadership, healing arts and sciences, teaching, or sales, is a result of discipline.

Whether we are talking about an individual or an organization, it all starts with the question: “Who are you and what is your purpose?” Your purpose is found at the crossroads of that which you are passionate about and that which you are good at. Once we are clear about our purpose and the kind of person and/or organization we are, then we need to discipline our thinking in order to achieve it. Thoughts and behaviors that contribute to the purpose are then nourished and expanded.

Most people, and most organizations are undisciplined. We entertain thoughts in our minds that contradict our purpose. We allow behaviors in ourselves and others that should be unacceptable. In a culture of discipline we are clear about who we are and where we are going. We address contradictions honestly, first in ourselves, and then in others, and resolve them.

A year ago I wrote in this newsletter about two very different businesses, one who has a culture of discipline and one who has not. Schulers Books and Music, a local bookstore and cafe is my example of a culture of discipline. At one of the stores I often see the manager out on the floor. Whenever a customer approaches him, he drops everything and serves the customer. I always receive cheerful and helpful service whenever I go there.

A chain restaurant I visited, called Steak and Shake, does not have a culture of discipline. I walked in to get a take out order and could not get served, or even acknowledged. I wrote to the corporate office of Steak and Shake and received a cursory reply.

The difference between these two businesses is that at Schulers, people think a certain way, and act in alignment with those key thoughts. These are thoughts about valuing customers and offering excellent service. At Steak and Shake, people are on their own. They have not been taught how to think, and thus behave, in alignment with the organization’s purpose. You may or may not get lucky and get good service. At Schuler it is not luck; it is consistent great service rooted in a culture of discipline. Embedded in this culture is a deep love for reading and for community that is evident in their consistently great service.

I worked with an organization where the senior leaders loved their work and worked very hard. They saw themselves as disciplined. Yet, they were very undisciplined. Leaders in this organization each went in their own direction. Some of them were noted for being unapproachable and cranky. Others avoided all conflict and said “yes” to everything. Another was known for flying off the handle whenever he felt threatened. All of these managers were talented people. Discipline is about practicing the thoughts and behaviors consistent with your purpose and your goals. It is about holding yourself accountable when you are inconsistent. Much of the talent and hard work of these managers was dissipated because thinking and behavior were not in alignment with purpose and values.

In a culture of discipline we live in alignment with our purpose and in accordance with our values regardless of what is happening in the world. A culture of discipline is responsive to whatever happens. A non disciplined culture has knee jerk reactions to both crisis and opportunity. This is because the motivator in these non disciplined cultures is fear. In a culture of discipline you are motivated by love–love for your purpose; love for those whom you serve; and love for your values. You live from the inside out. This makes you more stable, yet responsive to what is happening around you.

When opportunity presents itself, you don’t grab for it. You think about it. You ask: “Does this fit with my/our purpose? Is this something I/we are willing to do well? Can I/we be passionate about this?” Also, you want to know if it will contribute to your long term viability.

When crisis hits, you respond in ways that are consistent with your purpose and values. No short cuts! Collins wrote in Good to Great, that companies who stuck by their values tended to be more successful. The key, he found, was not in what values they chose, but that they stuck by their values, whatever they were.

In a culture of discipline we make a commitment to our mutual purpose and values. We refuse to allow behavior that is outside that framework. People who violate the purpose and values are given a chance to learn and to change. If they choose not to, they leave. A culture of discipline is not an authoritarian regime where one person is the enforcer. Those organizations tend to fall apart when the dictator leaves. The disciplined culture requires people to adhere to a consistent system, within which they have freedom and responsibility. In a culture of discipline we all help each other to stay on track by reminding each other through ongoing feedback and being a role model.

If you want to see if your organization has a culture of discipline, listen to the stories that are told. Are they stories of accomplishment and appreciation of the efforts of people? Or, are they stories tinged with negativity and criticism? Do people tend to be generous with credit for work well done, or do they mostly talk about what “I” did? Fear based and egocentric stories are ultimately demoralizing and feed negativity. Stories about people going out of their way to help people, and stories where credit is given to others consistently reinforce the purpose, the values, and the way of thinking that identifies the organization at its best. We discipline our minds away from negative and victim thoughts and toward thoughts of appreciation, understanding, problem resolution, and the possibilities to be found in any situation.

I must admit that I have often rebelled against discipline. I thought it would cramp my style or limit my freedom. What I have learned is that discipline enforced by a dictatorial person does cramp everyone’s style and limit freedom. Discipline agreed to by each individual does the opposite. Self discipline allows us to achieve excellence.

Discipline that grows out of a commitment to a common purpose creates a structure, a consistency that helps people to make wise choices. The unwillingness to accept poor behavior is reassuring. Employees see leaders behaving consistently and they are inspired to think and behave in alignment with purpose and values. Extensive work rules are not needed when people are already motivated.

Whether you lead an organization or just yourself, discipline will determine much of your success. Each day examine your thinking, your behavior, and your decisions. Ask: “Does this fit with my purpose? Is this a true reflection of who I am? Does this fit with my organization’s purpose and values?” Learn to say “No” to thoughts and behaviors that do not align with purpose and values. Say “Yes” to thoughts and behaviors that affirm your purpose. Thinking, and then doing the right things consistently will keep you on purpose and lead you toward greatness.

Connect the dots. Apply this information to your workplace, your church or spiritual community. your family, your neighborhood, your athletic team. Is there a common purpose that inspires your passion and commitment? Are there values you live by? Do you value and serve each other in order to achieve your common purpose? How can you create a culture of discipline without becoming a disciplinarian? How can you work with others to create an environment where people are clear and self motivated?

When we hear the word differentiation, many of us automatically think about developing instructional activities that are appropriate for a student’s learning ability. However, how many people think of behavior when they hear the word differentiation?

Let’s think about some reasons why differentiating instruction is a good practice. Well, it supports the student at his learning level, without the work being too easy or too difficult. It ensures a student is getting necessary building blocks needed to understand larger concepts or skills. It provides a safety net for students. It increases students’ engagement. It gives the educator a clearer picture of what the student is truly able to do. It can encompass a student’s specific learning style. Gosh, the list can go on and on. We differentiate instruction for students because it helps them find the most success in the classroom.

So, why don’t more schools differentiate discipline? There seems to be a widespread belief out there that specific rules must be put in place, and if those rules are broken, specific consequences must be enforced for each infraction, regardless of who committed it. So, by golly, if Joey talks while the teacher is talking, he MUST get a detention! That is the consequence for breaking that specific rule!!

Come on! Seriously? Our society doesn’t even run that way! Sure we have laws, but does the exact same thing happen every time someone breaks them? How many of us have been let off with a warning after being pulled over for speeding, and how many of us have been slapped with an expensive ticket? How many times do we see different sentences for people who have committed the same crime in our judicial system?

Students walk into our classrooms with differing experiences and backgrounds; therefore, we cannot expect them to assimilate to school expectations in the same way. For example, my stepdaughter, Aubrey has been raised in an environment that somewhat shares similar norms as school (we practice traditional manners, we speak respectfully to each other, we have basic rules we follow, we are generally not loud when we’re home together, etc.). Additionally, Aubrey gets tons of love and all her basic needs are met. So, if Aubrey was caught stealing something from somebody’s lunch bag, I would expect a different, perhaps harsher punishment on her than if the child (Let’s call her Mary) who comes from poverty steals something from somebody’s lunch because it may be the only thing she gets to eat when she goes home.

Now, am I saying that Mary shouldn’t be punished? No, I’m not saying that at all. However, how is giving Mary a standard “stealing consequence” such as detention going to teach her not to steal, or more importantly, help fix the reason she wants to steal? This is when an educator needs to have those thoughtful conversations with Mary, talking with her about stealing, helping her think about the perspective of the child she stole from and how he may feel, what a better solution to her problem could be, and what an appropriate consequence to her actions may be.

Aubrey and Mary have two different sets of social understandings and backgrounds, just as they may have two different levels of learning ability. It shouldn’t be okay to only differentiate their learning needs and not their social needs. The outcome of any discipline situation should be to help the student grow in her understanding of how to make better choices… not to see how badly can we punish her into doing better.

Please know that I am not saying their shouldn’t be common consequences for anything. For example, the students help us each year create the consequences for not turning in their nightly homework. While we have to stick to those consequences, we also need to be ready to step in to help support those students who have a harder time meeting those expectations due to situations out of their control. We don’t want to lower our standards for students because they have exceptional struggles in their lives, but we do need to be ready to meet their specific needs, socially and academically, and not be set in our thinking that everyone should be able to do the same thing behaviorally and should suffer the same consequence when they don’t.

The book Learning to Trust by Marilyn Watson and Laura Ecken does an excellent job sharing ways teachers can handle discipline in a more differentiated, learning approach. I can’t lie… I’m a big fan of fiction and sometimes struggle reading nonfiction books, even on topics I’m passionate about; however, I loved this book! It’s basically a teacher’s day-to-day interactions with students in an inner city Lousiville school as she takes on this approach to discipline! I highly recommend it!

When making decisions involving your students in the classroom, remember: what’s fair is not always equal, and what’s equal is not always fair.

One of my favorite musical instruments is the bagpipe. Many years ago on a bright beautiful sunny day, my family and I heard a gorgeous version of Amazing Grace played by a bagpiper on shore, as our family was departing Halifax, Nova Scotia by ship. We continued to hear Amazing Grace as it carried over 3 miles away from shore.

In newspapers around the world it was announced on August 22, 2016 that a 61-year-old bagpiper had died from “hypersensitivity pneumonitis- bagpipe lung”. It was caused by bacteria from “the moist environment” in his bagpipes which developed into mold and fungi. For the prior seven years he suffered “shortness of breath, a dry cough”, and could “walk only about 65 feet”.

Disinfecting every part of his bagpipe everyday would have prevented his death. It’s all about discipline!

This is a wake up call for all musicians, bagpipers, woodwind players, and brass players to clean their instrument thoroughly daily. ” Cleanliness is next to godliness.”

It’s all involved with discipline. The discipline of preparation. Two friends of mine are Firemen. They have their fire equipment at the ready, so within minutes they are ready for a fire. They practice for fires in gear with their air pack to be ready within 90 seconds. Once you develop discipline it becomes part of you, a positive good habit.

True disciple gives you the freedom to do your best and be your best self, allowing yourself to achieve success. For example: cleaning up after your self and keeping your work place organized.

My husband and I went to a local restaurant to grab a quick lunch. The waitress, who we had never seen before, brought our food out and took an extra 5 minutes to bring out the ketchup after our burgers had been served. By the time she finally brought the ketchup the burger was cold. Shortly after, we were in a rush to get back to work. The restaurant was almost empty, and we had to look for the waitress to get the bill. This waitress won’t last long! She does not have the discipline for the job!

In our lives, we need to be disciplined in both our mind and in our body to keep free of mental clutter and /or physical clutter.

Just like you brush your teeth twice a day to cut down on bacteria that feed over your body and we bathe everyday. This is all about our daily discipline.

As a child of 8, I remember my violin teacher, Mr. William Whitson teaching me to wash my hands with soap and water before playing my violin. After practicing Mr. Whitson taught me to wipe my violin with a clean cotton cloth to remove the rosin from all surfaces of the violin, including the strings, fingerboard, and bridge. Rosin is pinesap from a tree that in its clean state is rubbed onto the hair of the violin bow to grip the strings making them speak. Mr. Whitson also had me wipe the rosin off the wood part of my bow. He wanted to protect the instrument from harm from the sticky rosin. He taught each of his students the discipline of taking care of their instruments. It’s all about discipline.

Many years ago when I was a student in New York City, I loaned out my violin to a friend when her instrument was being repaired. When she brought my violin back after a week, it was covered with sticky rosin all over it! It took me several hours to clean up my violin. My ex- friend had not been taught the discipline of taking care of her violin. She should have brought my violin back to me cleaner then when I had given it to her!

For over 30 years, I have taught my string students, the discipline of cleaning their instruments.

Part of discipline is teaching our kids to wash their hands and dry them after using the bathroom. Harvard Medical School says, “In studies, washing hands with soap and water for 30 seconds bacterial counts drop by close to 99.9%.” They also say, “It takes about 20 seconds to dry your hands well if you’re using paper or cloth towels. It’s all about training and discipline!

What new discipline will you start today?

Take the one-day challenge!

Below are five suggestions: Try one of them!

1) You have a large pile of papers on your desk. Put the papers in order, file the informational documents in the right folders, and pay the bills according to the due dates on them.

2) Right after cooking dinner, put the pots and pans in the sink to soak with soap and warm water. This way you can clean up quickly and easily after you eat.

3) Eat one scoop of ice cream instead of two.

4) Stop smoking cigarettes for one day.

5) As you run out of certain foods in your refrigerator, write down each food needed on a pad of paper. Then take your list to the grocery store.

Remember, discipline is following through on some goal you have and not finding excuses to not finish the task. Don’t procrastinate. To be disciplined you have to take the first step. Don’t just talk about it. Do it. Take your first step. Then take your second step and follow through till you complete what you started.

It’s all about discipline!