March: Responsible Decision-Maker

March celebrates Responsible Decision-Makers

A Little Background
Like Conscientious Worker, Creative Innovator, and Strategic Problem-Solver, Responsible Decision-
Maker was added during the overhaul of the skills back in 2014-15. It came about because parents and teachers noticed that a key element to a successful future is the ability to make sound, informed decisions about things that matter. Increasingly, individuals are expected to conduct their own research, cull through a myriad of resources, and make good decisions about their financial, academic, medical, and social lives--often without the help of experts. Helping students build the skills necessary to make the decisions they will inevitably be faced with is the primary reason for adding this skill.

What’s the difference between a choice and a decision?
Since Responsible Decision-Maker was added we’ve had some good conversations about what types of decisions we’re talking about. Certainly part of that answer is determined by the age of the student, but regardless of age, there is a distinction between a choice and a decision that is worth making.

We (and our students) make choices every day, but very few of them rise to the level of being worthy
of calling them “responsible decisions”--especially if you look at the description for Responsible Decision-Maker and its companion checklists. Whether to have the tuna or the roast beef sandwich today for lunch is a choice. On the other hand, whether to change my overall diet to include more fish and vegetables could rise to the level of responsible decision-making--especially if I’m bringing to bear current, relevant research.

I don’t want to oversimplify it, but it helps me to think of choices as something that happen in the moment. Though we often give our choices a lot of thought (I know I certainly think about what I’m going to eat at my next meal A LOT), the choice, once it’s made is relatively inconsequential to the rest of our life. Big decisions are different--they require contemplation, weighing the pros and cons, and the different outcomes are important to the decider and feel like they have consequences beyond the moment.

By way of student non-examples: Selecting which book to read or what topic to write about is a choice. Sure, there are certainly better options than others, and a student may weigh the pros and cons of one option versus the other, but, again, this probably doesn’t rise to the level of responsible decision-making the way we’re talking about it. Nor does opting to wear a coat when it’s cold, opting to obey rather than disregard the classroom or playground rules, etc. These certainly are examples of responsible behavior, but students would be hard pressed if asked to identify which of the success criteria they used for choosing to wear a coat. And, we run the risk of trivializing the work of making important decisions when we praise students for being a responsible decision maker simply for bundling up.

So, then what does age-appropriate responsible decision-making look like in our students? As we’ve been working on answering this question, we’re beginning to think that maybe the earliest we really see regular opportunities for authentic responsible decision-making is middle school. That’s when students start making decisions about social media and their digital footprint, what to save their money for, how to act now in ways that increase their chances for success later. That’s not to say that younger students don’t have any opportunities to make responsible decisions--they’re just more rare.

Should we ignore Responsible Decision-Maker before middle school then? No. We can still point to examples in books and current events to showcase authentic examples of Responsible Decision-Maker. And we certainly should recognize students when they truly are making big, important decisions responsibly. Additionally, (and this is true for all the skills), when we see students exhibiting success criteria for responsible decision-making in other contexts, we should point it out. For instance, although the choice a student is grappling with may not rise to the level of important decision, it can’t hurt to say, “Weighing options is one of the things Responsible Decision-Makers do when they face big, important decisions. Even though you’re simply making a choice for what to write about, the way you’re weighing your options for what event to write your mini-memoir about now is similar to how you’ll weigh options when you make big decisions later. Keep up this practice you’ll become a good Responsible Decision-Maker later.

Learn More
Deepen your own understanding by reading How to Make Decisions and How Good Is Your Decision Making? --Two business articles from Mindtools that outline the basic steps to decision-making and an evaluation tool that could be used with secondary students.

Prompt (required to earn clock hours)
Post your response to the prompt below and earn 2 clock hours each month that you do. Be sure to include your first name and first initial of your last name with your school's initials to make it easier to track your participation (e.g. Toni S. MVMS)

Many, if not most, of the important decisions students will face will be beyond your classroom walls. Nonetheless, we can support their growth by recognizing elements (success criteria, etc.) of Responsible Decision-Making when we see our students display them. How might you use/reinforce the success criteria for Responsible Decision-Making for your grade level to support your students’ growth toward being a Responsible Decision-Maker?

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Julaine Brandsoy's avatar

Julaine Brandsoy · 315 weeks ago

At the Kindergarten level (where I teach), we can have conversations with students about possible consequences for various decisions and help students begin to think of pros and cons for small decisions they make. An example that comes to mind, for Kindergarten, is the learning exploration (play) part of our day. The classroom is set up into different learning areas or centers and students are required to visit each area, to do work, at least 1 time each week. Some students will make the decision to visit their least favorite place to work first while others will save those until the last minute. This is a small decision but I see it as a valuable learning opportunity for students to begin thinking about how this decision will influence their week. Like I mentioned before, just introducing students to the idea of pros and cons and thinking about possible consequences before making decisions can be an important starting point.
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Kim Fitzpatrick (RC)'s avatar

Kim Fitzpatrick (RC) · 310 weeks ago

Each day presents several opportunities for out students to practice being responsible decision makers. When we talk about this FRS as a group, it's interesting to hear their examples of when they were a RDM or someone close to them made a responsible decision. One of the pieces I think we can really support and encourage in the classroom is accepting responsibility for the decisions our students make. That's a tough skill to acquire for some, as they are used to a more egocentric view of the world around them, and don't necessarily equate cause and effect at this young age. I am intentional about pausing to give kids an opportunity to problem solve with guidance, thinking about their actions (words, physical actions, or non-action) that may have resulted in a consequence intended or unintended. Restorative justice has been a big part of our classroom community and has played an important part in developing the traits of a responsible decision maker in all of our students.

It's important to also remind our kiddos that it's okay to make mistakes, and that they're proof we're trying, and learning, and growing. We can make mistakes, accept responsibility, and reflect on how we could make better decisions next time. That reflection piece is super important, and allows students to have a "re-do" so to speak. They can typically identify the cause/effect of their decision making, but it takes a bit more effort to consider options, and think about what they might do differently "next time". The good news is that we have created safe, nurturing environments within which those lessons can be learned and social/emotional skills can be developed.
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Kelsie Gooch (GPES)'s avatar

Kelsie Gooch (GPES) · 306 weeks ago

How might you use/reinforce the success criteria for Responsible Decision-Making for your grade level to support your students’ growth toward being a Responsible Decision-Maker?

In EEP I have students K-5th. It's tricky at times to address decision making across the board since the ages and development vary so greatly. With the younger kiddos, I love the idea of helping them to understand they have important choices to make and that their choices effect themselves and others. I would like to focus on this skill for them and celebrate when they recognize how their decisions could effect others. For the older kids I would love to take them through the steps of not only recognizing there decision effect others and themselves but to also show them how to evaluate all the options before making a choice. I have noticed that 3rd through 5th graders are pretty aware of how they can effect other people for good or bad, however, they don't readily stop and think through the entire process. Example: A student is annoyed with another student and draws on their paper and then throws it on the floor. He then receives a consequence of completing a Stop and Think Reflection Form for behaving in a disrespectful way. When addressing this behavior with the student all he could focus on was how annoying the other student was. He was purely reacting to his feelings instead of thinking through all his options. He could have asked the other student to stop the "annoying" behavior. He could have asked an adult if he could move to another table. He could have imagined himself in the other students' shoes and reflected. In situations such as the one above with students, I want to lead them through, "Who, who and you." Who will you decision effect? Who else could it effect? How will this decision effect you?

When students are unable to make the best choice in a given situation, in my program, they fill out a Stop and Think form. On this form they reflect on their behavior and how they are feeling because of their decision. Are they sad, angry, happy? What decision was made that led them to completing a form? What expected behavior should they have done instead? EEP has a unique schedule which allows for great periods of time to be able to just sit and talk with students and lead them through the decision making process. And as time goes on a conversations continue, I hope to see them take ownership of the steps and be able to tell me what they need to do to make their best decision. Every moment we all make decisions that can snowball and I hope my kiddos can learn the skills to become positive influences in their communities.
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Jennifer V (RCES)'s avatar

Jennifer V (RCES) · 306 weeks ago

In my kindergarten classroom I feel like we are constantly talking about making good choices. And from there we start to talk about making a good decision. I feel like these skills are practiced every day and more focused during our second step lessons. The kids are taught to problem solve, which is a different FRS, but then in the process they are also learning how to make the right decisions. Since many of the important decisions that kids make are outside of school, they will most likely involve some kind of social situation which is exactly what we practice during the second step lessons. This is a setting where kids can define problems and think of solutions to help them make the best decision possible. Then when I see kids using these skills in unstructured settings without teacher support/prompting I give them lots and lots of verbal praise and I typically stop the class and tell them what I saw. I think it's really beneficial to use the kids in class as good examples for one another. And on the flip side, when I see kids struggling with making good decisions, I use that as a teachable moment in private with the student so that we can discuss what happened and talk about what could be a better decision for next time. I think giving kids lots of guided, intentional practice in making "small" decisions in the classroom will help them be better prepared to make the "big" decisions when they are away from the classroom and don't have the guidance from a trusted adults.
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Mark Lange (RC)'s avatar

Mark Lange (RC) · 304 weeks ago

•I can recognize when I have an important choice to make.
Students are often faced with important choices in school. From peer relationships to classroom work. I assign homework every week in my math class. I assign a packet on Wednesday, and it is due the following Wednesday. Students have seven days to complete three pages. To me, an easy task. For many, it is not. I am constantly conferencing and problem solving with these students. Not only for middles school where homework is a part of their overall grade, but beyond. I know they are 10-11 years old, but it is never too early to teach responsibility. I often share my own adulthood choices to help them understand. Some lessons I had to learn the hard way. Without understanding how important the choices were at the time, it cost me dearly. If I would have been more cognizant of the repercussions I would have had an easier road. I feel this is difficult for kids to understand, but I hope I reach at least a few.
•I can find relevant information to help me make my choice.
I think this mainly ELA with research for a project? Hard for me to apply to math and science.
•I can brainstorm many different options.
I use this often when problem solving about behavior or work completion. I put the burden of solving their issue on them. Often with guidance of course. I have found when the student comes up with fixing the problem is has more impact since they often find it fair and reasonable. Whether that is deciding to stay in at recess to complete an assignment, apologizing to a peer or coming up with a plan to remember to use the bathroom at recess. Students often brainstorm solutions in my class.
•I can weigh the options and consider how they may affect me or others.
I feel I answered this above with problem solving peer conflicts. I also teach this concept through Second Step. This program teaches students to use and understand empathy for others.
•I can choose the best option, take action, and communicate my choice.
Students don’t always make the best choice, but do learn from mistakes.
•I can reflect on and evaluate the results of my choice.
After every math and science test, students complete a self-reflection. They set goals to work on for the upcoming unit of study. Often based upon scores I conference with them and we talk about the goal they set. If it was to pay attention to lessons and complete classroom work, did they? If they chose to ask questions of their teachers when they lack understanding did they? If it was to practice at home by putting forth effort into their homework, did they? I feel we evaluate often on academic choices in my classroom.
•I understand I made my decision and accept responsibility for it.
This is a fun one. 5th graders lack accountability. The stories and excuses I have heard over the years are hilarious. However, I shoot holes in their reasons and excuses, which is not difficult to do. They ultimately have to face the facts about their choice. Sometimes that involves parents, sometimes the dean of students. I prefer to problem solve without involving discipline. Usually I can get students to understand and reflect. I touch base with them for a week or so to make sure they are continuing to follow the plan they set to improve their decisions.
•I try to make safe, responsible, and respectful choices.
I discussed this in the previous paragraph. Some kids make these choices naturally and I never have to intervene. Thus they do well in this Future Ready Skill. Others need guidance to make safe choices. Usually this happens during PE, in the lunchroom or out at recess. Again, student reflect and problem solve choices that are not safe, responsible or respectful.
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Kelsie Gooch (GPES)'s avatar

Kelsie Gooch (GPES) · 304 weeks ago

How might you use/reinforce the success criteria for Responsible Decision-Making for your grade level to support your students’ growth toward being a Responsible Decision-Maker?

In EEP with kiddos K-5th, I have a lot of opportunity to work with them on being Responsible- Decision Makers. Many portions of our time is a free choice where students decide what they want to do. Sometimes they choose independent options but most times they choose to work and play together. Because they ages range do drastically conflict and disagreements quickly arise. To keep it simple with the range that I have I teach the Polar Bear Way; be respectful, make good choices and be responsible. When I see students make these decisions I reward them with point on ClassDojo and they points earned go towards buying prizes on Fridays. When students don't make positive decision, we stop and talk about what happened and what could have been done instead and in extreme cases they complete a think time form which is communicated with parents .I find it valuable to talk students through the "why" of their action. Were they needing attention, were their feelings hurt, did they act/speak without thinking? And from there have them make a plan for next time to stop and think about why they are acting a certain way and if there is a better decision. Think time forms are completed in private whereas positive rewards are displayed on the projector so all kiddos can see how well they are doing and it motivates other to improve behavior.
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Lauren S. (RCES)'s avatar

Lauren S. (RCES) · 270 weeks ago

Looking at the K-2 Responsible Decision-Maker Checklist, I see “I can choose the best option, take action, and communicate my choice.” I think this is an important skill to teach my first graders. When faced with a tough decision, it is important to evaluate the options, choose the best option, and communicate that idea with others. If students learn how to do this early on, the will be set up for success when they are older and the decisions have more weight behind them.

I like to communicate with my students when characters in our books are making good decisions. For example, I like to use the book “A Bike Like Sergio’s” to teach this future ready skill. In the book, the boy sees someone drop $100. He picks up the money and he is faced with a tough choice. He struggles with trying to decide whether to return the money or buy a brand new shiny bike like Sergio’s. We talk about the consequences of each choice and have a conversation about what we think the boy should do.
1 reply · active 269 weeks ago
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Jamie R. (LWES)'s avatar

Jamie R. (LWES) · 269 weeks ago

I think that using book to teach about making responsible decisions is an excellent idea. It is so practical because often primary students aren't making huge decisions in their life, but they are reading about characters that are. Right now I am helping my students to brainstorm alternative options and see all the best possibilities and having students be able to choose the best option and take action is so important. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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Jamie R. (LWES)'s avatar

Jamie R. (LWES) · 269 weeks ago

At the second grade level, I see that the important decisions that I am reinforcing in my students' lives are their social-emotional decisions. Having my students be able to recognize when an important, impactful decision needs to be made that will impact their future is an important part of the K-2 rubric. I want to reinforce the K-2 rubric to help my students understand the importance of taking the time to think through their actions and what might be the consequences of their actions, good or bad. I help my students brainstorm alternative options when decision making and I model the process of looking and thinking of different options. This model is hopefully, something that will impact students in the future when they have more significant decisions to make in their life. My hope is by modeling decision making by walking through decision making as a process with steps that students will grow in becoming a responsible decision-maker. I think the best way to model decision making for 2nd grade is to give a practical example of a situation they might face in the future and to define the difference between a choice and a decision. A choice is something that you make that probably only affects you short term, but a decision is something that affects you long term. This is something that I think my second graders can understand and start to apply in becoming responsible decision makers.
1 reply · active 262 weeks ago
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Paige S (RCES)'s avatar

Paige S (RCES) · 262 weeks ago

Modeling is always a great way to help students understanding the importance of any skill, so I like that you mention modeling with students. Helping them with their brainstorming and modeling what it looks like helps to reinforce the skill, especially for those students who seem to make more impulsive decisions. I also have not considered directly teaching the difference between a choice and a decision in my own classroom... I love the idea though! This again will prepare them for their futures and help them determine in what situations additional time and thought should be put into their decision making.
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tina lambro's avatar

tina lambro · 269 weeks ago

When looking at the K-2 checklist I think it is important to teach students there are consequences for choices we make. In kindergarten it may be as simple as if I am unkind to a friend they may not want to be my friend, if I choose to do an activity today I may need to choose something different tomorrow. Another example could be if I choose to play in the rain and get wet at recess I will have to sit in wet clothes in class. These are simple but appropriate ways for students to see we have consequences for choices we make... good and bad. Give opportunities to make their own choices and hopefully learn form them. I feel it is a very important skill to know we have consequences good or bad for choices we make.
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Kimberly F (TSD)'s avatar

Kimberly F (TSD) · 269 weeks ago

This prompt is interesting. I agree that a child's ability to equate cause/effect is not fully developed until much later, but I do think it's worth having conversations about good decision making skills now (third grade). They truly do have opportunities to make "choices" every day that can result in positive and/or negative consequences. They are even asked to make decisions that carry greater weight. Students need to be intentionally taught that there is a difference between choices and decisions. Understanding this idea is important for kids and is right in line with our growth mindset work. Oddly enough, the first item on our 3-5 Responsible Decision Maker checklist is "I can recognize when I have an important choice to make". The language centers around making informed "choices". My plan is to introduce this skill as a way to practice making good decisions by weighing their options, and making choices that are safe, responsible and respectful for themselves and others. Doing so, and reflecting on our choices will help build that confidence and reasoning for good decision making down the road.
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Judy Kim (TES)'s avatar

Judy Kim (TES) · 263 weeks ago

Many, if not most, of the important decisions students will face will be beyond your classroom walls. Nonetheless, we can support their growth by recognizing elements (success criteria, etc.) of Responsible Decision-Making when we see our students display them. How might you use/reinforce the success criteria for Responsible Decision-Making for your grade level to support your students’ growth toward being a Responsible Decision-Maker?

I would model and talk about it a lot in my class (have a whole class discussion). I also inform my kids that there are consequences to our decisions whether they are big or small. For instance, we do talk about being a responsible decision maker a lot in class. We do math rotations in class and kids have expectations during these rotations on what they should be working on and how they should be working on them. However, there are not enough of me (teacher) to go around and make sure that everyone is on track and doing their job. I do go around and have small groups and one on one conferences throughout the rotations but I can not make someone do something and stand next to them all day. However, they do have a decision to do the work because on Friday, we do Fun Fridays where kids who were responsible during the week have a little time to do certain fun activities during an allotted time. The kids who did not complete or follow the expectations can continue to work on their assignments. This has motivated a lot if my kids and they know that every week that they have an opportunity to try again. Another way that we used responsible decision maker is when this whole virus came out. We talked about handwashing, cleaning, how to cover our coughs and sneezes, and etc. Then we also talked about the consequences of those choices and how it could affect others. This was a great discussion in our class as the class was really worried about getting other kids sick. We also talk about great decision in making in our choice to sit in class. I use flexible seating and we talk about great choices that work for us but not just us but for others and how we need to think of other people (have empathy). It is a daily reminder in the morning but now the kids understand and in the morning after my quick reminder, they look around them and move accordingly. I plan to continue focusing on responsible decision making because this will affect them for the rest of their lives and I want to set a great foundation for them.
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Paige S (RCES)'s avatar

Paige S (RCES) · 262 weeks ago

For this exercise, I looked at at the K-2 self assessment for responsible decision making. It is interesting to think about how to ensure students are practicing these skills without making light of the importance of responsible decision making. Brainstorming different options is one thing that can be reinforced at all levels. While the options they are deciding upon may not be those big decisions we are looking for, as educators we can be explicit about how this skill can help when a really important decision does need to be made. We can also make connections to other adults or children who have use the same skill we practiced in order to make their very big decision. Accepting responsibility is another aspect of the rubric that we practice consistently in these grade levels. Understanding that there will be consequences to any actions students make, positive or negative, helps this age group realize the importance of the skills they are currently developing. This seems to be very hard for some students, because if they do not like the consequence of their action they want to blame it on someone or something else. Practicing taking responsibility every time is a really important skill being taught at this level that will be directly applicable when bigger decisions need to be as they grow older. The importance of reinforcing this idea is to celebrate the positive consequences of decision making so that students will not be in fear of having to own up to the decisions they made.
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Stacey P (TSD)'s avatar

Stacey P (TSD) · 258 weeks ago

To reinforce the Responsible Decision Maker skill and support my students' growth, I would start by having a discussion about what it means to be a responsible decision maker. This would also include using examples of the decision-making process that resonate with the age group, as well as working as a class to determine the most responsible decision in specific scenarios. Most important is giving students the opportunity to practice making responsible decisions as much as possible. While elementary aged children may not have a lot of opportunities to really go through the process of Responsible Decision Making in their every day lives, they can certainly practice this skill on a smaller scale in the classroom.
In the Future Ready classroom, we have discussed being Responsible Decision Makers and introduced a more simplified version of the "7 logical steps" outlined in the article. This more simplified list of steps is based on the Responsible Decision Maker checklist, which really provides a nice framework on what areas to focus on in helping students to develop this skill. Lots of repetition and examples help solidify the concept, but I believe the practice is going to have the largest impact in helping students make progress with this skill. Figuring out age-appropriate and engaging activities for students to do that allow them to weigh options, and then connecting the activities to the mantra that "practice makes you better" is the approach I plan to focus on.
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Zoryana L. (LWES)'s avatar

Zoryana L. (LWES) · 253 weeks ago

One of my favorite success criteria for the Future Ready Skill of Responsible Decision-Maker is "I can brainstorm different options." I can use this specific success criteria to support the growth of my students by explicitly practicing this skill. In explaining that responsible decision makers brainstorm different options, my students will learn to make responsible decisions. In my classroom, I can create activities and assignments where students have the choice to make one decision or another. Through these activities, students can learn which decision is the responsible one and what the consequences are of not choosing the responsible decision. In relation to the specific skill of "brainstorming different options", I can give students a bad option within an activity and it will be their responsibility to brainstorm different options. To reinforce the success criteria of "brainstorming different options", I can simply remind students to brainstorm a different option or two when they are not making responsible choices. In general, there are many ways to practice responsible decision making and supporting students in brainstorming different options.
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Maureen B. TSD's avatar

Maureen B. TSD · 252 weeks ago

The element of success criteria that comes to mind is "I can think about the options and consider how they may affect me or others." This is such an important skill in first grade, as students have already had a year in school, and are getting more comfortable with the school environment. This comfort can lead to more daring behaviors. To support my students, I pre-teach a lot of conflict resolution strategies, but also help mediate scenarios when the come up, whether on the playground, in the lunchroom, or in the classroom. This is one of the future ready skills I focus the most on with my first graders. I would rather a kid move onto the next grade who is kind to others, cares about others' feelings, knows how to solve problems, and can make smart decisions in the classroom, than a kid who has unbelievable academics.
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Susan H (SLES)'s avatar

Susan H (SLES) · 252 weeks ago

The way that I approach leading the kids to become responsible decision makers is by giving hypothetical scenarios. For instance, "If you found $100 on the playground, what would you do?" I ask the questions and have them each give their answers privately and individually. We then read part of "A Bike Like Sergio's." As a class, we weigh out the pros and cons of keeping the money for yourself, or returning the money. As the article states, I try to encourage confidence and kindness to avoid "groupthink" and allow them to say what they are really thinking (have their own opinion and share it). They explore their options, and then decide what they would actually do after having the discussions. Finally, we finish the book "A Bike like Sergio's" and we discuss if we think the main character made a responsible decision. The part of the checklist this really focuses on is: I can weigh the options and consider how they may affect me or others.
I do agree that kids this young do not have a lot of options to prove they are responsible decision makers, but teaching them early how to weigh the pros and cons and explore all options will better set then up for the future than letting them figure it out by themselves the first time they are faced with a big decision.
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Alyssa Hayes's avatar

Alyssa Hayes · 251 weeks ago

Many, if not most, of the important decisions students will face will be beyond your classroom walls. Nonetheless, we can support their growth by recognizing elements (success criteria, etc.) of Responsible Decision-Making when we see our students display them. How might you use/reinforce the success criteria for Responsible Decision-Making for your grade level to support your students’ growth toward being a Responsible Decision-Maker?
In kindergarten there are a lot of expectations that are new that the kiddos have to learn. This takes time to do but it is very important work. The idea of cause and effect is something that they start to understand in simple ways like when we learn about how to use scissors, we talk about why we always have them face down – it is to keep us safe. For making decisions though, that is something that develops over time and not something that we often get to see in kindergarten but we begin the conversations. Another example that I can think of, is when we talk to our kiddos about our choosing having consequences – if you hit someone, you get in trouble. If you just walk away or talk it out you won’t get in trouble and might even have a new person to play with.

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