As educators, we often find ourselves helping students navigate various challenges that arise in their lives. One crucial skill that students need to develop is the ability to identify whether a problem is big or small and determine the appropriate course of action. This blog post will explore a no-prep activity, discussion questions, and related skills to help high school students better understand and practice this essential social-emotional learning skill.

Introduction

Understanding the difference between big and small problems is essential for students to develop effective problem-solving skills. Big problems typically require more people, time, and resources to solve and can affect or harm others. In contrast, small problems are generally easier to resolve and have less impact on others. Teaching students to identify the size of the problem and seek help when needed can significantly improve their social-emotional development and decision-making abilities.

No-Prep Activity: The Problem-Solving Continuum

In this activity, students will practice categorizing problems as big or small and reflect on their decision-making process. This activity requires no preparation or materials from the educator.

1. Ask students to think of a recent problem they faced, either in their personal lives or at school.
2. Have the students identify if the problem was big or small. Encourage them to consider the consequences, the number of people affected, and the resources needed to solve the problem.
3. Ask students to share their problem and categorization with a partner or in a small group.
4. Finally, hold a class discussion in which students share their problems and the reasons for their categorization. Discuss alternative perspectives and strategies for solving the problems.

Discussion Questions

• Why is it important to differentiate between big and small problems?
• How can understanding the size of a problem help us in decision-making and problem-solving?
• What strategies can we use to determine if a problem is big or small?
• When is it appropriate to ask for help when facing a problem? How can we determine who to ask for help?
• Can you think of a situation where you misjudged the size of a problem? How did this affect your decision-making and the outcome?

Related Skills

Besides understanding and categorizing problems as big or small, students can benefit from developing other related social-emotional learning skills. These include:

• Effective communication: Learning to express concerns and ask for help when needed.
• Empathy: Understanding how our actions and decisions can impact others.
• Conflict resolution: Developing strategies to address and resolve conflicts in a constructive manner.
• Self-awareness: Recognizing our emotions and how they influence our decision-making.
• Resilience: Building the ability to bounce back from setbacks and adapt to changing circumstances.

Next Steps

Teaching high school students to identify and solve big or small problems is a vital aspect of their social-emotional learning journey. By incorporating the no-prep activity, discussing the provided questions, and exploring related skills, you can help students become more effective problem-solvers and decision-makers. To further support your students’ social-emotional learning, we encourage you to sign up for free samples of the discussed skill and others at Everyday Speech.