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Strategies for Fostering Responsible Decision Making
brain is still developing. Mature adults learn to rely on the rational part of the brain, the prefrontal cortex, to make informed and responsible decisions (Campellone & Turley, 2021). Many students across grades K–12 impulsively make decisions using the amygdala, which is the region of the brain that can be hijacked for fight-or-flight responses and trigger emotional responses to immediate outcomes (Raising Children Network, 2021).
This is why students often lead with their emotions when making choices, and it isn’t always their fault. In their brains, the link between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala is still developing; this link is what humans need when considering long-term consequences while weighing decisions. Teachers can assist their learners in strengthening the connection between their prefrontal cortex and their amygdala by coaching them through the decision-making process. Additionally, conducting a minilesson about the amygdala and emotion-based decision-making setbacks will benefit students in learning to combat natural impulses.
If K–12 students lack a working knowledge of how to apply their emotional intelligence skills, making good, calculated, and responsible decisions can be complicated for them. To clarify, it’s not that young people entirely lack appropriate decision-making skills. Rather, the decisions they make in high-stakes situations may be affected by their emotions or a lack of understanding about possible outcomes. For example, a decision made to elevate their social status might come at the expense of another classmate (such as engaging in teasing or bullying). Since SEL focuses on both self- and social awareness, we teachers should help students explore the impact of their decisions on themselves and others.
To simplify the process of strengthening connections within the brain as much as possible, try using a decision-making tool (like the decision matrix or the decision-making checklist) with students. Our aim with decision-making activities is to provide students a systematic approach to responding to their emotions and taking the time to pause, weigh their options, and consider the perspectives of others involved before making decisions. Next are straightforward steps for doing this with your students using both tools.
Use the Decision Matrix
Teachers can help young learners (elementary and middle school students) start thinking about how to frame their decisions by examining their choices, the
alternatives, and the natural consequences of whichever path they choose by using a decision matrix. With practice using the tool as a framework, they’ll internalize the process and develop a mindset for sound decision making.
The decision matrix method, also known as the Pugh method or Pugh concept selection, was designed by Stuart Pugh (1981). It is a qualitative method used to sort multidimensional choices. In short, it assists with making tough choices. Business analysts, engineers, educators, and other professionals use the decision matrix as a tool to evaluate and prioritize their lists of options (Peek, 2021; Ramdhani & Jamari, 2018). Typically, teams establish a list of weighted criteria by importance and then evaluate each option against those criteria. Many organizations rely on these types of results for making complex, informed decisions that have a direct impact on their budgets, personnel, restructuring efforts, and partnerships.
The decision matrix is flexible and applicable in a variety of settings, including students’ decision making in the classroom. Points are added for positive outcomes and deducted for negative outcomes. After students add up their numbers, they determine the choice with the highest score is the most responsible one. I recommend, at first, assisting elementary school– and early middle school–aged students in comparing multiple decisions to determine the best one.
The responsible decision-making matrix for students (see figure 4.5) helps students process their emotions by reflecting (via independent journaling, conversations with a trusted adult, or goal setting) and focusing on the consequences of the choices. A blank reproducible version of the responsible decision-making matrix for students is available at the end of this chapter (page 86).
Directions: Students can use the responsible decision-making matrix to make healthy decisions between two and three choices . The choice with the highest score can be deemed the most responsible decision .
Possible DecisionMaking Choices
1 . Participate in teasing and bullying a peer .
Positive Outcomes
(Add 1 point for each pro.)
Negative Outcomes
(Subtract 1 point for each con.)
Total Scores
To self 0 To self −1 −4
To others 0 To others −3
2 . Become an ally by showing empathy . To self 2 To self 0 5
To others 3 To others 0
FIGURE 4.5: Responsible decision-making matrix for students—Bullying example .
Include responsible decision-making skill-building strategies in your SEL strategies for students. The following vignette describes an example of using the responsible decision-making matrix for students.
Anisa, a sixth-grade mathematics teacher, noticed that one of her students, John, was snickering at a smaller peer during collaborative work time. Upon further observation of the situation, she learned that John was teasing his classmate. She temporarily removed John from his group and requested he approach her desk. Anisa informed John that teasing is a form of bullying and told him that she would help him make a better decision by weighing his options and evaluating their impact (pros and cons) on himself and others. She then introduced the responsible decisionmaking matrix for students to him and guided him through completing the activity.
Anisa learned that John and two other classmates had begun to tease their smaller peer at the start of work time. Therefore, Anisa and John determined he had two options to choose from: (1) participate in the bullying with his two friends, or (2) become an ally to the victim. They then labeled the possible choices in column 1 of the matrix.
After Anisa explained the point system for weighing the pros and cons, she and John determined that the first option had no pros (positive outcomes) to either himself or others. Zero was therefore added to both categories (self and others) in row 1 of column 2. For cons, John and Anisa entered −1 for self and −3 for others (the victim and the other two classmates involved in the bullying). They tallied the score in column 4, which totaled −4.
For the second option of becoming an ally to the victim by showing empathy (row 2),
John and Anisa applied the same scoring system to the pros and cons. After talking through the pros to self, John determined that choosing this option had two positive outcomes for him: (1) he would be doing the right thing, and (2) he would feel good about himself by choosing to empathize with his classmate and prevent further injustice. The pro for each of his peers was that they would complete their schoolwork with no negative incident. A positive 2 was entered for John and a positive 3 for the others. With no cons to consider for choosing to become an ally, John entered zeros in column 3 for both self and others.
The total in row 2 was 5 points. After tallying the score, Anisa and John discussed what the individual scores meant and agreed that the better decision for John to make was to become his classmate’s ally to prevent further injustice and bullying.
John agreed to apologize to his peer upon returning to his workstation. After ensuring that her student was safe from further harm, Anisa chose an opportune time to hold space for a restorative circle with all involved.
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR TEACHERS
Keep it simple and include the responsible decision-making matrix in your SEL strategies for students . You can teach students effective use of the tool through the following steps . 1 . Introduce the tool as an analytic framework for helping the students make the best possible decisions . 2 . Normalize the tool’s use for all students in your class by introducing the tool as a universal strategy and not a stigma . 3 . Let the students know that the decision matrix is versatile and can be applied to many different types of decisions; encourage them to use it both at home and in the classroom .
4 . Model the tool’s use in various scenarios the students have encountered or are likely to encounter (such as addressing bullying, de-escalating conflict, and choosing between the fun thing and the right thing) . It’s crucial to present authentic scenarios here—you may even have students role-play . 5 . Take time to explain the point system for weighing the pros and cons (positive numbers for pros and negative ones for cons) . Pay close attention to the rules of adding and subtracting positive and negative numbers, especially for younger students (grades 3–6) . Using a number line can be particularly helpful with early elementary students; also, model tallying in different scenarios, and have the students practice adding and subtracting with negative numbers . 6 . Give students time and space to use the tool and incorporate reflection as part of the decision-making process . Having them list the pros and cons and talk through possible outcomes can be helpful here . 7 . Only allow experienced users of the tool to model its use with classmates .
Finally, this is not a tool that students will use forever—it’s simply a scaffold for helping them better weigh their decisions . When you see them demonstrating good decision making, you’ll know that the responsible decisionmaking matrix has served its purpose . Hints of growth and maturity may include experiencing fewer weighted consequences of their impulsive behavior and considering the needs of others before making decisions .
Use the Responsible Decision-Making Checklist
High school-aged students may not want to use the responsible decision-making matrix but can still benefit from having a trusted set of steps for responsible decision making. A handy checklist provides a list of items for consideration (Santos, 2019) and another simple and powerful strategy we can put in students’ responsible decision-making tool kit. Moreover, a well-designed checklist can help students save time, be specific, reduce human error (Gawande, 2011; Santos, 2019), and tackle decision making as a designer.
When you think about possible steps for a checklist, know that not all checklists are created equal. Atul Gawande (2011), author of The Checklist Manifesto, has good suggestions for getting started (Santos, 2019).
A standard checklist is a good place to start, but allow your students to customize it and make it unique to them. Use the checklist to instill discipline in students. Having them work through a process is not the same as checking off boxes. Constantly have students review and refine their checklists as they work through the process and their needs change. Make checklists practical enough to keep students focused on the most important steps in their decision-making process.
For getting started, here are five steps students can take when making responsible decisions via this problem-solving and decision-making checklist (Positive Action, 2020):
1 . Identify the problem .
2 . Analyze the situation .
3 . Brainstorm solutions and solve the problem .
4 . Consider ethical responsibility . 5 . Evaluate and reflect .
Using the preceding steps as guidelines, coach your students through several fictitious but complex scenarios to hone their responsible decision-making skills (such as choosing the right career path, addressing insults, and facing peer pressure). Make it a whole-class activity when you introduce the checklist—that way, everyone gets the same message about using the tool. You’ll find that discussion about their decisions or decisions by others in the public eye, in tandem with role-playing
