Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/offering-children-choices-a-game-changer-in-the-classroom/5025488/
*Additional graphics can be found in the pdf version of this article.
Why would we offer children choices if, ultimately, we want them to do what we ask? When we want children to do what we want, offering them the illusion of control can influence children’s behavior positively.
A typical child’s day is as follows: They are told when to get up, what to wear, what to eat, when to leave, where they go, what they do when they get there, when they leave, when they get to go home, what they do when they get home, what they have for supper, when they bathe, and when they go to bed.
Giving a child options regarding things that may feel insignificant in our minds (“Do you want the blue cup or the red cup?” “You can wash your hands by yourself or I can help you,” “Do you want to hop inside or tiptoe inside?”) can decrease negative behavior. In other words, we are going to drink, wash our hands, or go inside (these are not options); how do you want to do it (these are options)?
Giving the child the illusion of control subsides the pushback we get from children who are trying to ...