The paradox of choice says:
The MORE options we are given, the LESS satisfied we could be with whatever option we pick.
This has been proven by science and businesses for years.
Sometimes 3 options is best.
Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry is a perfect example.
So is giving kids lots of choices at school always a positive thing?
Choices can be hard!
Have you ever walked into a Baskin Robbins ice cream shop and struggled to pick out an ice cream because there are 31 different flavors?
We scan the menu and can narrow it down to 3-5 flavors that we think we will like 🍦
But now we can only pick 1.
We weigh out the pros and cons, we hold up the line, we finally pick the moose tracks.
It is really good, but the whole time we eat it we are also thinking, “I wonder if the mint chip would have been better.”
This is the paradox of choice.
And this is the same trap our students sometimes fall into in schools.
Don’t get me twisted here, choice for kids can be SOOOO good!
But sometimes too many choices frustrate, confuse, and stall our students.
Choice boards have become super popular over the years.
These comprehensive lists often give 20+ options for kids.
But if we apply the paradox of choice to this learning opportunity, 3-5 choices is probably the best for our kids.
What are your thoughts on this?
And PS- I pick strawberry!
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