How Deep Are Your Pockets?

It is no secret that the students we serve oftentimes do not think ahead, that is to say they do not consider the possible consequences of their actions.  While I am certainly aware of this shortcoming, I know that I don't do enough to teach the students under my care to think ahead and to consider all the possible ramifications of their behavior.  Today I took the first step to rectifying this problem.

Speaking to a group of students today in my school, I opened by introducing them to the word continuum.  I suggested that for every behavior, there was a continuum of possible consequences.  We quickly agreed that generally the best possible consequence for negative behavior was that it would go unnoticed and thus they would escape any possible consequence.  However, I argued that once they engaged in a negative or risky behavior, then they just agreed to "buy" all the possible consequences on that particular continuum.  For example, let's say I punch somebody in the face.  There are a number of possible consequences, starting with I cause no serious damage and the person I punched decides not to beat me senseless.  That is most likely the "best possible" scenario.  However, there are numerous other possible consequences on this continuum, including the following:

• He punches me back
• I cause some injury and end up at the mercy of law enforcement
• I cause some injury and end up responsible for the other party's medical bills
• I hit the other person and they fall, hit their head on the ground, and die

When I make the decision to punch that other person, I have, in effect, "bought" all possible consequences on this continuum.  Once I make the decision to throw that punch, I am now at the mercy of fate and I have to accept whatever consequence comes my way.

Perhaps teaching our students to think of the best possible scenario and the worst possible scenario associated with certain behaviors might serve to make them pause prior to engaging in negative or risky behaviors.  If we can get them to pause prior to acting or reacting, maybe the temptation toward a negative action will pass.  As the leader of a school that is majority minority, I know that my students are not always afforded the second or even third chances that students from other areas are provided.  Thus, their pockets are not quite as deep--in a manner of speaking--and subsequently they cannot "afford" to buy all the consequences related to negative or risky behavior.