Introduction
As educators, we strive to teach our PreK students valuable life skills that will help them navigate the challenges they may face. One of these essential skills is learning to be the bigger person in difficult situations. When others make us angry or hurt, we may want to hurt them back, but it is important to stay calm, ignore it, and be the bigger person. In this blog post, we will explore a no-prep activity, discussion questions, and related skills to help teach our students how to be the bigger person.
No-Prep Activity: The Bigger Person Role-Play
This activity requires no preparation or materials from the educator. Begin by explaining the concept of being the bigger person to your students. Next, create a few simple scenarios that involve someone doing something hurtful or unfair. Split your students into small groups and have them take turns acting out the scenarios. Encourage them to come up with different ways to respond to the situation, demonstrating both positive (being the bigger person) and negative (retaliating) reactions.
After each scenario, gather the class together and discuss what happened in each group’s role-play. Ask the students to identify which responses demonstrated being the bigger person and why those responses were more effective in resolving the conflict.
Discussion Questions
- Why is it important to be the bigger person when someone does something hurtful or unfair to us?
- Can you think of a time when you were the bigger person? How did it make you feel?
- How can being the bigger person help improve our relationships with others?
- What are some strategies we can use to stay calm and be the bigger person in difficult situations?
- Why is it important to practice being the bigger person, even when it is challenging?
Related Skills
Teaching students to be the bigger person is just one aspect of their social-emotional development. Other related skills that can support this learning include:
- Empathy: Understanding the feelings and perspectives of others can help students recognize the impact of their actions.
- Conflict Resolution: Learning to resolve conflicts in a healthy and constructive manner can help students navigate difficult situations.
- Self-Control: Developing self-control enables students to manage their emotions and reactions in challenging situations.
- Effective Communication: Clear and respectful communication can help students express their feelings and resolve conflicts.
Next Steps
Teaching our PreK students to be the bigger person is a valuable life skill that will serve them well throughout their lives. By incorporating activities and discussions like the ones shared in this blog post, you can help your students develop this important social-emotional skill. To access more resources and free samples of skill-building activities, sign up at Everyday Speech.
