Making good choices seems easy enough, right?...well, often the answer for students is no. It’s imperative to teach children how to make good choices in the classroom. Learning this skill takes intentionality and mindfulness and will carry students on through life!
What Does it Look Like to “Make Good Choices” in the Classroom?
To make positive choices, a student must understand how to be responsible, mindful, a good citizen, and have self-control.
Examples:
- Cleaning up after yourself
- Paying attention to the teacher
- Standing in line patiently and quietly
Good choices not only impact students individually but collectively too! These decisions help a person think positively, and when you’re thinking positively you tend to make better choices.
A few students exhibiting these character traits (or even just one student!) can create an impact that has an effect on the entire class. When peers see other peers making good choices, there is a ripple effect that will likely follow.
Why Teach This Skill?
Good decision-making has positive repercussions for LIFE!
Students who exhibit the character traits associated with making good choices in the classroom tend to be more confident, independent, and responsible. These attributes stay with a child through the teenage and adult years!
Mindfulness is a vital piece of learning to make good decisions. Sometimes good choices result in new opportunities! When students learn to be thoughtful when considering options and actions, they learn flexibility and are able to learn from their mistakes too.
When students learn that they are capable of making choices that may not be ideal at the moment but are better long term, they can begin to think beyond the now and toward their future*.
*Keep expectations age appropriate! What feels like the “future” to your youngest students may only be a few minutes away while older children can process weeks and months away.
Good decision-making encourages increased social, mental, and physical health of students too!
How to Teach Making Good Choices in the Classroom
- Teach
- Model
- Reinforce
Teach
Use pre-made resources, books, and videos to help you teach students this skill in an easy-to-understand and engaging way!
Resources
Use this Good Choices Character Education curriculum to teach students all about positive decision-making skills by using good judgment and decision-making-making skills.
This resource includes print and digital options for 9 activities, and several extra documents to make teaching this character education trait a breeze in your classroom!
Books
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I get a small commission that costs you nothing and helps me continue to provide this content.
What Should Danny Do? By Ganit & Adir Levy
Meet Danny, a superhero-in-training working on his power to choose. With this power, he can change his day by changing his choices. He goes through different situations in his day like not getting something he wants, his brother laughing at him when he gets hurt, and other potential conflicts. Danny has 2 choices he can make, one that will make the situation worse and one that will make it better. The reader chooses which choice Danny should make and it tells you based on that choice, what page to turn to next. The bad choices lead to consequences and discussions with his parents about making good choices. The good choices lead to parental positive praise and Danny feeling proud.
What If Everybody Did That? By Ellen Javernick
This story is about a boy who chooses to make poor choices such as being rude in a restaurant, speaking out of turn, and littering. Everyone the boy meets asks him, “What if everybody did that?”. Hearing this question over and over again makes the boy start to
think about what really would happen if everyone chose to do things like he was, and he realizes that he has been wrong. The story ends on a positive note as he comes home and hugs his mom while thinking “What if everybody did that?” and decides that the world would be a better place if everyone made that decision.
Videos
How to Make Good Choices: Mindfulness for Kids by Cosmic Kids
In this 3-minute video, students are introduced to the traffic light technique for making good choices. Stop - Breathe - Choose!
They’re reminded that their choices don’t only impact themselves but others as well.
Model
Kids learn best when they see something IN ACTION! While speaking out loud, consider two different choices you have. Briefly talk about the pros and cons of each option before determining which is the better choice.
You can do this with small or big choices, just keep the examples developmentally appropriate for your students. The options you discuss with preschoolers will differ greatly from what you might say to older elementary students.
Examples of Making Good Choices in the Classroom
Pre-K students– “Should I eat my sandwich or this bag of crayons for lunch? Hmm.. the sandwich is yummy, but the crayons are so colorful! Oof, crayons aren’t food! Silly me. I’ll take my sandwich!”
Older students– “It’s 45 degrees outside. Should I take my jacket to the playground today? I’m wearing a short-sleeved shirt, so I might get too cold without it. Yes, I’ll definitely take it!”
Another example– “Should I clean up my workspace before we leave the classroom? I really don’t like cleaning up, but if I don’t my friends might trip over my chair and supplies when they walk by. Also, I won’t be ready for learning when we come back into the classroom. It’s a better choice to clean up now!”
Show your students positive decision-making in real time for the most impact!
Reinforce
Reinforce good decision-making to encourage carryover of this positive character education trait.
Visuals
Use visuals in your classroom to reinforce good decision-making even when you’re not specifically discussing it during a lesson or throughout the day.
These Motivational Posters by Outus remind students to exhibit positive character traits like thoughtfulness and having a positive mindset.
You can also find 14 posters and other bulletin board elements in the Good Choices Curriculum!
Highlight Good Choices
Take a few seconds at different points during the day to highlight good choices when you see students making them! Your positive reinforcement encourages students to continue in their efforts to be responsible, positive, and mindful as they consider other decisions.
Taking time to intentionally teach your students how to make good choices in the classroom is well worth your effort! Do you have any other favorite ways to reinforce this positive behavior? Let me know in the comments below or send me a DM on IG if so!
You might also be interested in reading:
How to Reduce Tattling in the Classroom
Teaching Social Skills in the Classroom
You might also be interested in these products:
Passport to Executive Functioning DIGITAL
Follow along and don’t miss a thing!
Instagram 💜 Pinterest 💜 Facebook 💜 Teachers Pay Teachers 💜 Amazon
