“It’s a simple question that can open doors.”
Sometimes I offer help when it isn’t needed, or wanted, or it isn’t the help the other person wants.
Instead of asking “Can I help?” I should be asking “How can I help?”
Sometimes I think I know the question when it isn’t really the question the other person has.
Asking how I can help, allows the other person to get the help they really need and not the service I think they need.
Now if the other person says they need help but they don’t know what help they need, I can ask more questions to clarify their needs.
Immediately offering help without knowing exactly what they need can cause frustration or discouragement. It may make the other person give up before they actually have begun.
This is a great skill to teach students. Students need to know how to offer help to others in a way that doesn’t offend or patronize the other person. In the same way, the person needing help needs to learn how to accept the help they need. Learning how to ask may help them accept help from others more easily. If they get the help they need, it will help them be more successful in the classroom and in life.
Photo by Simone Secci on Unsplash
No comments:
Post a Comment