“’Are you sure?’ is something humans ask all the time. If you go to an ethical plastic surgeon and announce, through drunken tears, that you want a new nose, new lips, new hips and a skin peel, all at once, she’ll not only ask if you’re sure, but she’ll send you home to think about it first.”
My husband makes deliberate decisions. This means that he takes a long time (in my opinion) to make a decision. He has to talk about what he wants to buy. Then he spends a lot of time doing research. If possible, before he buys something, he wants to see reviews and then the actual item he is thinking of buying. He will talk with friends and family who might already have it. And then finally, he will announce to me if he plans on buying it or not.
I tend to be an impulse shopper. When I want to want to buy something, I might compare prices online and in a couple of stores. I might check a few reviews. Then if I really want it, I’m ready to buy it. Of course, that is when he asks, “Are you sure?” If I don’t care about the results, I usually say yes and then buy it. If I am afraid that it won’t do what I want it to do or if it won’t work when I actually get it, I’m a little hesitant.
When I’m hesitant, I know that I need to take more time in making this decision. His question is really my barometer for judging what kind of decision I need to make. If a quick decision with no important result happens or a quick decision where I don’t care about the results is needed, I will answer yes. If the results are important to me, I know it is time to do more research and careful thought.
I’m easily attracted to some of the ads on Facebook or TV about some new gadget that some company is selling. I always think that it looks neat and fun to get. Then when I do some research and reviews, I find out that it really doesn’t work as well as they advertise. I’ve been burnt on a few of these things, so I’ve learned my lesson.
This is a skill that my students need to learn also. They need to learn a cue or a question that will have them stop and think about the results. This decision-making skill is not something people are born with.
In order to be successful in the classroom and in life, students need to learn how to make thoughtful decisions.
How do you teach students to make thoughtful decisions? Please share.
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