PBIS: Determination and Perseverance

Sample Lesson - Introduction

Lesson 1.01: Determination in Schoolwork

 

Look at all the friends I have when I'm finally free to hang out! (Source)

You're clacking away on your laptop in the sweet sanctuary of your room. You're five paragraphs into your essay on the pros and cons of capitalism and you're feeling good. You've got a nice little groove going and you're nicely nestled in a blanket burrito. Nothing can break your focus...

Bzzz. Bzzz.

... except that.

The siren call of social media. You look at your phone's lit screen. That guy from English just invited you to an event. Bzzz. Bzzz. Your friend sends you a PM: "you going to the thingy?" Bzzz. Bzzz. Now, a text. It reads: "Please remember to load the dishwasher. XOXO Mom." Bzzz. Bzzz. You have just been added to a group chat. Bzzz. "so who's going?" Bzzz. "i can but i need a ride" Bzzz.

Bzzz. Bzzz. Bzzz. Bzzz. Bzzz. Bzz—"Enough!" you wail.

In a fiery rage, you scoop up your phone and slam it against the wall. Wham! It shatters into a dozen tiny pieces. Ahh, finally. Peace and quiet. You compose yourself, wrap yourself back into your burrito, and continue typing about—what was it again? Oh, yeah—wealth inequality.

Hmm. Those Tumblr users are not gonna know what hit 'em.

Wait, what?

Yep, major plot twist. You're already distracted. Sure, everyone procrastinates, and it's easy feeling like what you're doing is more important than... your actual schoolwork.

We appreciate your determination, Shmooper, but it's time to prioritize. Do your homework first. That angry anon will still be there when you're done with your history essay.

Sample Lesson - Reading

Reading 1.1.01: Determination in Schoolwork

Fact: if school were really that easy to get through, there wouldn't be a PBIS lesson about it. You're most likely sick and tired of being told not to procrastinate and to never give up... probably because you've heard a lot of apocalyptic worst-case scenarios.

Like:

• If you procrastinate, you will end up weeping forever, flipping burgers forever, and forever covered in zits.

• If you procrastinate, an asteroid will strike you, and the only thing left to remember you by will be your browser history.

• If you procrastinate, a pack of rabid kittens will attack your limbs and you'll die cold, limbless, and alone.

We're big believers in real talk—and not in scare tactics. Procrastination won't kill you (although kittens with rabies will), but learning how to overcome procrastination is one of the best things you'll ever learn. In fact, determination can make you feel like a dang superhero.

What Not To Do

Give in to that little voice that says "I can do it tomorrow! I work best under severe pressure—I'll write my report in one night! It's more important that I sit and think about my crush for four hours instead of doing my math homework/my science project/my literature presentation/literally anything."

We know that voice. That voice is more persuasive than a Good Cop/Bad Cop team. But you have to grit your teeth, put on some noise-cancelling headphones, and shut it out.

And use whatever means necessary to silence the siren song of procrastination. Mute your phone and put it in your sock drawer. Turn your wi-fi off. Keep a stash of gummi bears on your desk and allow yourself to eat one after every paragraph read/math problem finished/bone in the human skeleton memorized.

More Than Just Schoolwork

Here's what your parents and teachers will tell you: what you're learning in school isn't just the Pythagorean Theorem or the difference between stalagmites and stalactites (stalactites hang tight from the ceiling)—you're also learning life lessons.

And we think that, although that's a true statement, it's also an exceptionally boring true statement.

Instead of thinking about scholastic determination as a means to an end that includes the oh-so-nebulous concept of life lessons, think of determination as an exercise.

In order to get six-pack abs, you pretty much need to work on them every day. In order to be a great artist, you need to draw every day. In order to master the guitar, you need to play the dang thing... every day.

And—no surprise here—you need to work on shutting out the demonic siren song of procrastination every day. Determination, like ab muscles, drawing skills, and guitar heroism, atrophies. In other words: use it or lose it. That's the bad news.

Here's the good news: the more you get your determination on, the easier it is to stay determined. Because, like exercising, it gets way easier to keep going once you've stuck to a routine for a few weeks. Because, like drawing every day, you get a thrill out of seeing how much you improve. Because, like playing the guitar regularly, your sense of "I'm awesome" starts to seep out into other parts of your life.

Is determination exhausting? Oh, yes. But does it pay off? Almost infinitely. In fact, there are few feelings better than the smug "Yup" you feel when your homework is done, your project is turned in, and you just know you're prepared for any pop quiz that gets thrown your way.

And that's the secret of determination: it's highly selfish. Your determination or lack thereof doesn't mean anything to your teachers or friends. What it does, though, is make you feel like you're pretty much the best.

So yes: although school is teaching you so-called life lessons, it's also teaching how to take care of #1.

What to Do When You're Overwhelmed

Mix in academic, social, and extra-curricular obligations, and you have the perfect recipe for a well-rounded student… or an exceptionally stressed one.

Some aliens masquerading as humans claim that they like stress, and that stress fuels them. For the rest of us, stress translates to the desire to stay in bed eternally and only eat Phish Food ice cream.

But, as 10/10 doctors would tell you, bed rest + ice cream breakfasts = the recipe for despair and diabetes. We don't wish that on our worst enemies (well, maybe only the very worst).

So: what to do when all your time seems to be sucked away? That's where determination comes in... and that's also where the beauty of anticipation comes in.

Hear us out: the night before your birthday is always better than the moment when all your presents are opened. Thursday afternoon is 1,000% more enjoyable than Sunday afternoon. The moment before you tuck into a Dairy Queen Blizzard is way better than how you feel halfway through it.

Why? Because of anticipation.

The only force in the universe more powerful than FOMO is that of anticipation. Hanging out with your friends on a Wednesday and a Thursday and a Friday is fine, but spending all week planning something exciting for Friday is even better. We're not talking about demolishing your social life or your healthy Netflix schedule. We're just talking about postponing it to hold out for something even better.

That's what we call delayed gratification, and mastering that can take you pretty far. Think about it. If you don't give in to snacking on Cheetos all afternoon, you'll save more room for dessert that night. If you turn down a Wednesday night hangout with your buddy, you'll get all your homework done and have time to go to the Star Wars midnight premier the next night. (Not to mention the good grades you'll be getting.)

Getting all of your annoying work out of the way before doing what you like isn't just a good thing to learn how to do; it also maximizes how much you enjoy the fun stuff. And—bonus—finishing your schoolwork before doing anything else is actually going to give you more free time in the long run.

Real Talk

Let's face it. Not every class is going to be taught by the best teacher, and not every assignment is going to be a mind-blowing learning experience. Life isn't perfect, the Tooth Fairy isn't real, and climate change exists. Them's the facts.

This is where determination comes in. Stick it out.

Not everything you do is going to have an instant reward or applause from a cheering crowd. However, the feel-good vibes you get when you turn in an assignment that you know is excellent are pretty great. Again: determination is the most selfish thing around... it's just hard to get your determination game going.

Just don't get bogged down when things get rough, teachers are snippy, and your algebra homework (or your poetry homework) is more mind-numbing than listening to your grandpa reminisce about the good ol' days. This is the time to rifle through the most uplifting phrases you know—when the going gets tough, the tough get going; don't let the jerks grind you down; aim for the moon: if you miss, you might hit a star.

Or, you can borrow our inspirational phrase: I'll prove just how awesome I am.

Teacher Difficulties, And How To Solve Them

You're not going to like every teacher. For every Miss Honey, there's a Trunchbull. For every Dumbledore, there's a Snape.

But, luckily, even your least favorite teacher is bound to be better than Dolores Umbridge.

The most important thing to remember when you're dealing with the seemingly-alien species known as Teacherus teacherus is that they're actually human: they can be talked to.

In fact, teachers (like pitbulls) thrive on gentle attention. Nine times out of ten, the thing that is making that weird English teacher weird, or that nervous science teacher nervous, is a class full of blank faces. Your teacher might not even know when they're being hard to understand, or when their comparisons between Holden Caulfield and Romeo are incoherent.

The best way to approach the rogue Teacherus teacherus is quietly, and after class. Do not make sudden movements—the Teacherus is easily startled. Explain your issue in a soft, even tone. Make eye contact: the Teacherus finds this soothing.

We almost guarantee that this is going to clear things up. Worst case scenario: your teacher's inner geek comes out and they go on in too much detail about the beauty of algebra, the Constitution, or the anatomy of a formaldehyde-soaked frog.

In The Real World

Depending on how, um, creative your parents are, not sticking to your schoolwork can end up messy.

• "Watch: Dad Makes Son Destroy XBox Consoles For Bad Grades (Video)"

Sample Lesson - Activity