Change is inevitable, and it can be challenging for everyone, especially for students. As educators, it’s essential to help students develop strategies to handle change calmly and adapt to new situations. In this blog post, we’ll explore a no-prep activity to teach students how to adapt to change, discuss related questions, and mention other relevant skills.

Introduction

Change can make us feel nervous because we don’t know what’s going to happen or what to expect. When routines stay the same, we feel comfortable. We know exactly what to expect. Changing plans is like Switching Tracks on a train. When routines stay the same, we are like a train traveling on a track. When plans change, we switch to a new track and have to think and do different things. The goal is to stay calm when our routine changes. We can try these strategies to help us handle change:

1. Notice that you’re feeling upset or uncomfortable.
2. Press pause on our actions. We want to only say and do things when we are thinking clearly and calmly.
3. Take your time calming down until you can talk and listen to others. Choose a calming strategy like box breathing, counting, or closing your eyes.
4. Ask questions about what will happen and why. You might say things like, “Tell me the next two things I’ll do.” “Can you write my schedule down?” Listen carefully so you understand what will happen and why.
5. Think of one positive thing about the change. What are the good things you can look forward to?

No-Prep Activity: The Change Game

This activity requires no preparation or materials and helps students practice adapting to change in a fun and engaging way. Here’s how to play:

1. Ask students to stand in a circle.
2. Explain that you will call out a command, and students must quickly perform the action associated with the command.
3. Start with simple commands like “jump” or “clap” and gradually introduce new commands that require students to switch actions quickly.
4. After several rounds, discuss how students felt when they had to switch actions and relate it to the concept of Switching Tracks.

Discussion Questions

1. What are some situations where you had to switch tracks and adapt to change? How did you handle it?
2. Why is it important to stay calm when facing change? How does staying calm help us make better decisions?
3. Which of the strategies mentioned above do you think would be most helpful for you when dealing with change? Why?
4. Can you think of a time when a change led to something positive or an opportunity for growth?
5. How can we support each other when we’re faced with change? What can we do as a class or group to make it easier for everyone?

Related Skills

In addition to Switching Tracks, there are other relevant skills that students can benefit from to handle change effectively. These include:

• Problem-solving: Learning to identify problems and find solutions helps students be more adaptable when faced with change.
• Resilience: Building resilience helps students bounce back from setbacks and adapt to new situations with a positive attitude.
• Communication: Developing strong communication skills allows students to ask questions, express their feelings, and seek support when faced with change.
• Self-awareness: Understanding their emotions and reactions to change helps students recognize when they need to use strategies to stay calm and adapt.

Next Steps

If you’re interested in learning more about Switching Tracks and other essential skills for students, we encourage you to sign up for free samples of our materials. These resources will help you incorporate Social-Emotional Learning principles into your classroom and support your students as they navigate the challenges of change.