How to use it:
Make a statement eg “We have to come to school”. Then ask “Why is that?” and write your answer below the statement. After that, ask “Why is that?” about that answer. When you give your answer, ask another “Why is that?” about the 2nd answer.
An example:
Statement: “We have to come to school.”
- Why is that? Because we end up learning some important skills for life
- Why is that? Because it will help us to cope with adult life more effectively
- Why is that? Because life is more fun if you know how to cope with things
Why it’s important to use it:
This activity challenges you to think deeply about an issue. To ask ‘why is that?’ is good for your brain, but to ask it three times is even better. It encourages you to understand the real reasons behind a lot of things in life.
Some variations:
Adults sometimes use a process called ‘Five Whys’ (it was developed by Peter Senge and others). If you’re prepared to, keep going further with some extra Whys and see what happens.
