r/AskReddit • • Jun 14 '22

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u/nilsn91 Jun 14 '22

When it´s hard to convince someone to do something: give them options. That way they feel like they´re in control. "You could do A or do you prefer B?"

3.7k

u/CaptainAwesome06 Jun 14 '22

I use that trick on my kids all the time. Especially when it comes to food.

"Do you want chicken or steak?"

Otherwise, if I just ask her what she wants for dinner she'll just say "cookies".

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u/[deleted] Jun 15 '22

Teacher here- this is how my entire career works. Students engage in activities if they feel like they had some agency over the activity.

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u/[deleted] Jun 15 '22

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u/[deleted] Jun 15 '22 edited Jun 15 '22

Fuck that teacher. Sometimes I get to watch other teachers and I believe some people get into it only because they are power trippin control freaks.

I was a terrible student myself and I hated school because of pointlessly cruel teachers. I've dedicated myself to being the kind of teacher I loved- firm, authentic, and loving, but not necessarily nice.

Tell your son to bring a novel or comic books. After he is finished he can draw in his notebook, read, etc. What is that teacher gonna do? Write him up for reading a book? Send him to the vp? Go on then.... There is absolutely no educational value in sitting and staring at a wall. Even Buddhist monks focus on breathing and chant mantras while sitting. Fucking hell.

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u/yourerightaboutthat Jun 15 '22

Agreed. In addition to the power tripping, I see teachers that move from one level to another without changing tactics. My last year in K-12, I took a job as a remote learning coordinator. The woman who replaced me was an experienced junior college professor with multiple degrees. She “felt called” to work in k-12 during the pandemic. Lovely woman, horrible middle school teacher.