COUNSELOR
IN TRAINING
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How
to Facilitate Children’s Problem Solving
Your
primary job is to help the children stay focused on the problem and the process
of problem solving. The following
are steps to follow to ensure that all involved are heard and their needs
addressed. 1.
Gather data 2.
State
the problem 3.
Generate
Ideas 4.
Evaluate 5.
Make
a plan In
More Detail: 1.
Gather data: Give each person a chance to tell what happened and how they
are feeling. Try to avoid blaming
either child. Use phrases like
“What happened?” and “How did you feel when…?” 2.
State
the problem: Try to do this so everyone’s needs are expressed. “You
wanted______, and you wanted _______. What can we do so everyone will be happy?” or “What can
we do to meet everyone’s needs?” 3.
Generate
ideas: Encourage lots of ideas, both crazy and practical.
Accept all ideas without criticism.
Evaluation comes in the next step. You
may need to remind children what the problem is by restating it. 4.
Evaluate:
Look at the consequences of each idea. “What
might happen if you _______?” Is it something that would make both people
happy?” 5.
Make
a plan: Ask the children for a solution and help them carry it out.
Evaluate the decision later with the children and decide together if it
was successful. If it wasn’t
successful, plan for more problem solving when appropriate.
If it was successful, congratulate them in their problem solving. |
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Send e mail to ymca_cit@yahoo.com with questions or comments. Last modified: January 21, 2007 |
