Introduction
When students face problems or challenging situations, it’s common for them to feel upset and act impulsively. This often leads to negative outcomes, such as yelling or meanness. It’s essential for educators to teach students how to stay calm and make good decisions in these situations. In this blog post, we’ll explore an easy no-prep activity and a set of discussion questions to help students understand the importance of staying calm and paying attention to others’ feelings. We’ll also discuss related skills and provide resources for further learning.
No-Prep Activity
This activity, called “The Pause Button,” requires no preparation or materials. The goal is to help students practice pausing and calming down before making decisions or taking actions when faced with a problem or difficult situation.
- Ask students to think of a time when they felt upset or angry.
- Have them imagine there’s a pause button inside their minds that they can press to stop and calm down.
- Invite students to describe what they would do differently in the situation if they had used the pause button.
- Encourage them to practice pressing the pause button in their minds when they face challenges in the future.
Discussion Questions
- Why is it important to stay calm and think before acting when faced with a problem or difficult situation?
- How can pausing and calming down help us make better decisions?
- What strategies can you use to calm down when you feel upset or angry?
- How can staying calm and paying attention to others’ feelings improve our relationships?
- Can you think of a time when you stayed calm and made a good decision? What was the outcome?
Related Skills
In addition to staying calm and making good decisions, there are other important skills students can develop to improve their social-emotional well-being. These include:
- Active listening and empathy: Understanding and validating others’ feelings and perspectives.
- Problem-solving: Identifying and evaluating possible solutions to conflicts or challenges.
- Assertiveness: Expressing one’s needs and feelings respectfully and confidently.
- Resilience: Bouncing back from setbacks and learning from mistakes.
Next Steps
Teaching students to stay calm and make good decisions is a critical aspect of their social-emotional development. By incorporating the no-prep activity and discussion questions presented in this blog post, you can help students practice these skills in a safe and supportive environment. To explore more resources and sample materials related to staying calm, making good decisions, and other social-emotional learning skills, sign up for free samples at Everyday Speech.
