Stay Connected Wednesday Weekly SSMS News

National Hispanic Heritage Contest Week 3- Name 4 U.S. states derived from Spanish words. Write down the correct answer, your name and 1rst Pd. teacher and bring to Cafeteria. Box located on Activities Table during all lunches. Prizes will be awarded the after Week 4! Free skate night and Free dance class to the winners.Got to be in it to win it!

Planning Ahead for Red Ribbon Week Club Video Contest- Theme- I am Drug Free and I believe in Me! Submit your video to student government at Jaime_Chute@scps.k12.fl.us by Oct 31, 2013. Student Government will be voting on best video week of Nov 4. Winning club will receive RED CUPCAKES NOV 8 Period 8. Top 3 Videos will be displayed on SSMS Facebook and webpage.

Staying on Task Project Wisdom SSMS News & Announcements

A few Words of Wisdom The first and best victory is to conquer self.. Good morning, South Seminole. This is Mr. Bess, Assistant Principal, with a few words of wisdom. You've probably heard your teachers say it more than once: "pay attention“ or "stay on task." Believe it or not, learning to pay attention and to stay on task is an incredibly important skill to have. It's a skill that has helped thousands of successful people in all walks of life: students, doctors, artists, athletes, writers, mechanics, and software designers. Plato, a well-respected scholar and philosopher, said: The first and best victory is to conquer self..

Make it a great day… or not. The choice is yours. Plato is talking about learning to master your thoughts, feelings, and actions. In other words, you must first become an expert in self-control before you can master any other goals. So the next time you find your mind slipping away from a class assignment or activity, remember it's an opportunity to conquer those distracting thoughts and be better able to win at the game of life. With something to think about, this is Mr. Bess. Make it a great day… or not. The choice is yours.

Learning Goal: Students will understand that the positive benefits of having self-control and also consider some of the negative consequences that come from too much self-discipline.

Whole Group Discussion (Teacher can record students’ answers on white board ) 1. Think of some successful people you either know of or know personally. How has the ability to stay focused on a task helped him or her become successful? 2. How does not being able to focus on a task limit a person’s ability to get the job done? Give examples. 3. What distractions does a person have to conquer if he or she is going to stay on task, whether it is at school, or on a sports field, or when working on a project at home? Do you think learning to focus is a skill one can learn? Why or why not?

Think-Pair-Share * What advice would you give a friend who has trouble finishing tasks that he or she starts? * In what situations might it be okay, even appropriate, to allow your attention to be taken away from a task (e.g., when something important requires your immediate attention, when it is the courteous thing to do, when you have gotten too tired to be effective any longer, etc.)? * Can a person be too self-controlled? Give examples to support your opinion (e.g., denying yourself any pleasure or relaxation, ignoring the needs of others, starving oneself, etc.).

Dignity : to be worthy of self-respect or honor Staying on Task : Vocabulary (Students in small groups discuss the meaning of these key words in context of lesson. Teachers monitor discussions to clarify misconceptions ) Dignity : to be worthy of self-respect or honor Self Respect: the value of your self Relate: to have a connection with

Student Written Short Response/Reflections Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself. ~ Abraham J. Heschel 1. What does the author mean by “the fruit of discipline”? What does he mean by “a sense of dignity”? ______________________________________________________________________ 2. Some experts suggest writing down the behavior or habit you would like to change and then keeping a log for a week about what happens each time you do it or are tempted to do it. How would that be helpful? _______________________________________________________________________

Student Written Short Response/Reflections 2. Describe in your own words how this relates to staying on task. _________________________________________________________________ 3. When might it be unhealthy or unwise to say no to oneself? ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

Closing Thoughts- Learning to pay attention and to stay on task are two important skills to have. These skills have helped thousands of successful people in all walks of life. Staying on task can require the character trait self-control. The fruit of self-control can be self-respect because you complete a task or an assignment or reach a goal. That’s all good, but it’s also important to remember that you can control yourself and your behaviors so much that you limit your ability to live a happy and successful life. Finding a healthy balance is the goal.