The document outlines a plan to develop self-control in students through Spanish lessons. The lessons will take place once a week for one hour over four months for 10 students ages 7-11. The teacher aims to improve self-control as the students sometimes have difficulty paying attention after school. Students will be given instructions to follow and help each other, with less supervision over time. Positive reinforcement like extra playground time will be given at the end to encourage self-control and linking it to character strengths like zest. The lessons will involve different activities to follow instructions and improve self-control through behaviorist theory principles.

1. SELF
CONTROL
Teaching Character and
Creating Positive Classrooms
Maria Mercedes Trimino
MACRO
STRUCTURE:

2. SETTING
2
I am originally from Spain, but I am living in
England where I am working as a volunteer at
Primary School and teaching Spanish as well.
The Spanish Club takes place once a week
and is after the ordinary lessons.
It is formed by 10 kids from 7 to 11 years old.
I am going to develop my macro structure
during my Spanish lessons. They are one hour in
length.

3. OBJECTIVE
3
Because The Spanish Club occurs after school,
sometimes the children are really tired and
they have difficulty paying attention and
following instructions.
The main objective of my macro structure is to
improve the character strength of self control
while they learn Spanish.
To develop my project I based on the
experiments that Dr. Walter Mischel
conducted in Stanford in the1960’s and1970’s.

4. PROACTIVELY PLANNED
4
At the beginning of each lesson I will tell them
that I have planned a fun activity to do at the
end if they follow the instructions.
Also, it is essential that they help each other. I
realize that for some of them it will be easy but
others will have some difficulties. This way,
gradually, reduce my supervision of them and
they will become their own referees.
I will use the Behaviourist Theory to give them
positive reinforcement at the end of the class.
This positive reinforcement will help them to
repeat the action weekly and gain the self
control.

5. RECURRING
ONCE
PER WEEK
1 HOUR
LONG
DURING 4
MONTHS
5

6. ACTIVE
They will actively practice self control as
long as they try to follow the instructions.
They will help each other to improve
character strength.
The positive reinforcement will be an
activity in the play ground or in the gym
where they can continue practising self
control and regulating themselves.
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7. ALINGNED
7
I will plan my lessons to give them different
kinds of instructions that they should follow
and link them with the character strength
that I want to improve, self control.
They really like to do some activities in the
playground so I think that the reward that I
plan as a positive reinforcement will help
them to develop zest as well.
If I am able to link these two character
strengths in my teaching I think we can
create a good environment and introduce
positivism in the classroom.

8. JUSTIFICATION-REFERENCES
 http://teoriaconductistamila.blogspot.co.uk/
 http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/12/magazine/w
e-didnt-eat-the-marshmallow-the-marshmallow-
ate-us.html?_r=3
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQzM8jRpoh4
 https://class.coursera.org/teachingcharacter-
001/wiki/Week_1
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