How Big is your Problem?

Teaching little ones how to manage their emotions is HARD! To them, everything is important because it is about them. In my class we are working on identifying our problems so we know what kind of reaction we should have when we get these problems.

I use this chart to help my kiddos visualize how big a problem really is.

While the visual is great, they need to be TAUGHT what is tiny, what is medium, etc. We role play a lot of scenarios that I see in class. That way the lesson is meaningful. Once the lesson is taught, you can have your student refer to the chart when a problem arises. Every class is different, and we all handle our classroom management in our own ways, but here are a few examples of what these levels mean in my class.

1. Tiny might mean you can't find your pencil. It might mean your shoe keeps coming untied. You can handle it.
2. Small might mean you are in a group you don't want to be in or didn't get a turn on the swing.You can handle it.
3. Medium might mean your friend is bothering you, or you don't remember how to spell a certain word. You try to solve the problem yourself.
4. Big might mean someone is calling you names or bullying you. It might mean you lost a pet, or a family member is very sick. You tell an adult.
5. Emergency is, well, an emergency. A lock-down, a fire, earthquake. Or it might mean you really hurt yourself and are bleeding a lot. It might mean someone else is really hurt. It might mean an adult is hurting you or someone you know. You tell an adult right away.

The teaching is what matters. Giving kids the tools to access what problems are and how to react to them is so powerful. Especially when they need to be taught a papercut is not an emergency. 😉

You download this FREE resource here.