At St Paul’s I know when to ask for help. 
How Big is My Problem?

Being able to ask for help when you need it is an essential skill.  Asking for help, no matter how big or small the issue might be, is often hard to do. Some people see it as a negative thing but that’s simply not the case!

Problems come in different sizes. Small problems can be taken care of quickly and can be solved on our own or with the help of another person. Children can help each other solve small problems. Medium problems take more time to solve and require more help. Usually adults help solve medium problems. However, it’s expected that children help solve medium problems with the adults. Finally, big problems take a lot of time to take care of and require help from others. 

In Weeks 9, 10 and 11 the students at St Paul’s have been learning when to ask for help. Students in all grades have been discussing when it is necessary to ask a teacher for help, and what problems they can solve by themselves. The ‘How Big is my Problem’ visual below has been used to assist students in understanding when they need assistance from an adult, and when they can problem solve alone.

Children have been practising how to ask for help appropriately by:

• Looking at the person
• Using a pleasant voice/tone
• Explaining their concern statement (Excuse me, can you help me solve this problem….)
• Stating their problem specifically (steps that have already been taken to solve this problem, how it makes you feel)
• Saying “Thank you”