The below video has gone viral on Youtube and it made me wonder if students in the classroom are making their decisions following the same logic? Watch the video and then let me know what you think.
Decision-making steps:
Luiz Antonio, the boy in the video follows a decision-making plan as outlined above. I am impressed, given the age of the boy, that his decision is made in such a logical way.
This made me wonder if our students in the classroom and in life make decisions this thoroughly. Sometimes we ask ourselves: “Did they event think this through?”. Do you think that we are teaching students to make decisions on their own or are we telling students what the right decisions are and taking away the “why?” through education?
In Wellness, Physical Education, Life Transitions and Health, to name a few high school courses where decision-making is built in, we teach our students the decision-making model, but seemingly it ends in those classes. How can we get our students to apply the skills that young Luiz Antonio applied so well in the above video.
...I never thinked about rocks! 
This really got me thinking. In some ways we expect students to make decisions but so often I think you are right that we limit those decisions. We teach them not to try to make decisions about a lot of topics. They are told what to read, what to study, what experiments to do. I encounter the students at the university level and so often I find myself wondering if they thought something through or if they realized that they even were making a decision. Very often students want us to make their decisions for them and when they are faced with a decision, they just want to know what we want them to do. That definitely makes me think that we need to find other ways to teach students about making choices. I think giving more freedom in their education is a great start. Not just teaching them the process of making a decision, but having them implement it in multiple situations. I’ve noticed that one skill many students don’t develop is the ability to move knowledge between courses or see those connections. So how do we take decisions out of Life Transitions or other classes and put them in other classes? What opportunities can we give students to develop their own choices?
Thanks for the comment Kirsten! I hear what you’re saying and I have to agree – how can we better equip students to make their own decision in the classroom?
Personally, when faced with a difficult decision, I always look to my dad for advice. He says the same thing every time: “You’re smart, thoughtful and 21; make your own decision.” This seems a bit harsh, but it helps me to know that he will offer advice, but that I do need to make my decisions on my own.
Again I ask, how can we as teachers, instill this in to our lessons?
I think some of it is giving students more room to actually make decisions that matter. Not just minimal things but learning how to make decisions about their actual learning. In terms of university, I’m fascinated by instructors who work on syllabus negotiations with students, who make space for students to decide what topics get covered, or even projects that are completely open for students to take it their own way. If decisions have no consequences, it is hard to feel like it matters. But when they have consequences and we start to talk about the consequences as just a matter of course, that they will happen, then students start to comprehend that they can make bigger decisions.
Wow – I like the sounds of the students being involved in the refining of the syllabus. I agree too that they need to be authentic and difficult decisions and not just menial things like the colour of ink used…
Before I comment on decision-making, I wanted to say that I really like how you add polls to your blog posts. It is a nice touch. Anyways, the idea of decision-making is so important for children (and adults). I am currently teaching my grade 3/4 students decision-making per the health curriculum. As I reflect on the important of decision making for students I hope to incorporate the theme of decision making throughout the entire school year versus only for a unit.
Thanks Jessica! That sounds great for your grade 3/4 kids – the sooner the better.