William Glasser’s Choice Theory and Quality Teaching
Presented by:Michelle Burton-MoyesDeanna RichardSharon McRae
William Glasser
Background A psychiatrist Thought to be one of
the greatest educational thinkers of our time
Contends that behaviour in school will not improve until we change the way we work with students
Choice Theory
Student behaviour is determined by student choice, not teacher control
Foundational Assertions for Choice Theory We cannot “make” students do
anything, but we can influence them to do things that lead to better behaviour and increased success
It is up to teachers to make school adequately interesting and otherwise satisfying to students’ needs
Major Concepts in Glasser’s Non-coercive Discipline All human behaviour is purposeful We are responsible for our own behaviour All of our behaviour is our best attempt to
meet five basic needs Students feel pleasure when their basic needs
are met and frustration when they are not At least half of today’s students will not
commit themselves to learning if they find their school experience boring, frustrating, or otherwise dissatisfying
Major Concepts in Glasser’s Non-coercive Discipline Few students in today’s schools do their best
work If today’s schools are to be successful, they
must create quality conditions that greatly reduce student and teacher frustration
What schools require is a new commitment to quality education
The school curriculum should be limited to learnings that are useful or otherwise relevant to students’ lives
Major Concepts in Glasser’s Non-coercive Discipline Students should be allowed to acquire in-
depth information about topics they consider useful or interesting
Quality learning is evident when students become able to demonstrate or explain how, why, and where their learnings are valuable
Instead of scolding, coercing, or punishing, teachers should try to befriend their students, provide encouragement and stimulation, and show unending willingness to help
Major Concepts in Glasser’s Noncoercive Discipline Teachers who dictate procedures, order
students to work, and berate them when they do not are increasingly ineffective with today’s students
Teachers who provide a stimulating learning environment, encourage students and help them as much as possible are most effective with today’s learners
Motivation is the key ingredient in learning
Major Concepts in Glasser’s Non-Coercive Discipline Teachers who dictate procedures, order students
to work, and berate them when they do not are increasingly ineffective with today’s students (Glasser calls these teachers boss teachers)
Teachers who provide a stimulating learning environment, encourage students, and help them as much as possible are most effective with today’s learners (Glasser calls these teachers lead teachers)
Motivation is the key ingredient in learning
Any Program of Quality Education Must Meet Students’ Needs Survival needs are met when the school environment is kept
safe and free from personal threat Students sense belonging when they receive attention from
the teacher and others and participate actively in class concerns
Students sense power when the teacher asks them to participate in making decisions about topics to be studied and procedure for working in class or assigns them responsibility for class duties
Students experience fun when they are able to work and talk with others, engage in interesting activities and share their accomplishments
Students sense freedom when the teacher allows them to make responsible choices concerning what they will study, how they will do so, and how they will demonstrate their accomplishments
Student Needs
http://lundak.com/About_Us.html
Main things schools can do to improve student behaviour and learning are:Provide an engaging curriculumEmphasize qualityInfluence students non-
coercively to make good choices about learning and responsible conduct
Quality Curriculum Schools must be places where students learn
useful information and learn it well Glasser suggests that if students are old enough
you may ask them to identify what they would like to explore in depth—learning a smaller number of topics in depth is preferable to covering many topics superficially
Quality learning requires depth of understanding combined with a good grasp of its value Ask students to explain why the material they
have learned is valuable Ask students regularly to assess the quality of
their own efforts
Quality Teaching Provide a warm, supportive classroom climate Use lead teaching rather than boss teaching Ask students only to do work that is useful (knowledge
and skills that they will make use of in their lives) Always ask students to do the best they can Ask students to evaluate work they have done and
improve it Ask students to explain why they feel their work has high
quality Ask students how they think they might improve their
work further Progressively help students learn to use self-evaluation,
improvement and repetition Help students recognize that doing quality work makes
them feel good Help students see that quality work is never
destructive to them, others or the environment
Seven Deadly Habits vs. Seven Connecting Habits
Deadly Habits Criticizing Blaming Complaining Nagging Threatening Punishing Rewarding students
to control them
Connecting Habits
Caring Listening Supporting Contributing Encouraging Trusting Befriending
Relation of Quality Teaching to DisciplineMisbehaviour can be reduced greatly if teachers do the following: Work with students to establish standards of
conduct in the classroom Discuss the importance of quality work Ask students about class behaviour they
believe will help them get their work done and truly help them learn
Ask for student advice on what should happen when behaviour agreements are broken—behaviour problems are best solved by looking for ways to correct the underlying problem
Relation of Quality Teaching to Discipline (cont’d) Whenever appropriate, ask students
what you the teacher “could do to help” Once agreements and consequences
are established they should be put in writing and all students should sign the document
Agreements established and dealt with in this way show that the teacher’s main concern is quality, not power
Hold classroom meetings to explore alternatives to inappropriate behaviour
Gaining Benefits of Quality Classrooms Replace deadly habits with
connecting habits Make plain how you will work with
students Befriend your students Establish reasonable rules of class
behaviour Take the energy out of impending
misbehaviour
Gaining Benefits of Quality Classrooms Teach things that make a real difference in students’ lives Help students learn to strive for quality
explain that you will ask students to work at any given assignment until they have achieved an acceptably high level of competence and that nobody will fail or receive a low grade
Test students frequently, but productively explain that tests are for learning only and promise that
no one will fail or receive a bad grade Emphasize understanding and making use of new learning Provide options for students after competence is achieved
e.g. help other students or move ahead to something of higher quality
Implementing Glasser’s Ideas in the Classroom Remember that your students’
behaviour is internally motivated and purposeful—adjust your curriculum to help students meet those needs
Remember that your students will not commit themselves to class activities they find boring, frustrating or dissatisfying
Hold a discussion with your class on how school could be made more interesting and enjoyable
Implementing Glasser’s Ideas in the Classroom Following the class discussion, indicate
that you will try to organize activities as students suggested and that you will do all you can to help them learn and succeed
Hold meetings with your class to discuss new efforts and any results you see in classwork and behaviour—focus on improving learning
Befriend students and provide encouragement and stimulation
Implementing Glasser’s Ideas in the Classroom Ask students what kinds of class
behaviours will help them improve class behaviour while acquiring quality learning
When students misbehave, discuss their behaviour and why it was important and what they feel they could do to avoid misbehaving in the future
Teacher SurveyNeeds and their Definitions Strength and Satisfaction Rating Scale
Love and Belonging: The need for interpersonal contact, working together with others, and the potential for developing long term relationships and friendships. To feel wanted and approved of by colleagues as well as superiors.
Need Strength:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Need Satisfaction:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Self-Worth/Power: The need for a sense of empowerment, competence and opportunities for personal effectiveness in your place of work. A connection between one’s personal sense of achievement and worthiness with similar experiences in the home, school/work, and community. Opportunities for leadership and management roles.
Need Strength:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Need Satisfaction:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Freedom: The need for autonomy, independence and limited restriction in the work environment and at home. Opportunities for spontaneity and change in all areas of one’s life.
Need Strength:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Need Satisfaction:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Fun and Enjoyment: The need for balance between work and pleasure. Sufficient opportunities for enjoyable and fun experiences within the context of work, home and community.
Need Strength:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Need Satisfaction:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Survival and Health: Safe physical environment in the workplace and at home. An environment that is a supportive context for one’s mental and emotional health. Family income that adequately provides for enhanced educational opportunities, personal self-care, leisure activities, and vacations.
Need Strength:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Need Satisfaction:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Student NeedsSurvival & Health Love & Belonging Power Freedom Fun & Enjoyment
Student NeedsSurvival & Health Love & Belonging Power Freedom Fun & Enjoyment Provide opportunities
for students to get food, water and fresh air by allowing snacks, encouraging regular water breaks and growing classroom plants or opening windows.
Maintain behavior guidelines that support safety and respect.
Develop consistent classroom procedures and routines that add a sense of order and security.
Learn each student’s name as soon as possible and engage students in activities that help them learn one another’s names.
Greet all students as they enter the classroom.
Let students get to know you personally: your outside interests, what you stand for, and who you are.
Regularly engage students in team-building activities.
Teach students how to work cooperatively, and give them regular opportunities to learn in structured cooperative activities.
Conduct class meetings on a regular basis for class-building, problem-solving, and content-related discussions.
Smile.
Give students a voice in the classroom. Solicit their input regarding classroom rules and behavioral guidelines; allow them to generate questions that guide the direction of the curriculum.
Discover students’ instructional levels and meet them where they are.
Teach to a variety of learning styles.
Hold regular discussions about the value of the curriculum to students’ lives.
Use research-based best practices, such as structured cooperative learning, authentic assessment, and brain-based teaching strategies.
Instead of giving students low or failing grades, allow them second and third chances to demonstrate their learning.
Provides students with choices regarding:
Their seating Team members for
cooperative learning activities or projects
Assignments (topics for essays or class projects, outside reading)
Performance tasks for assessments
To gain and keep students’ attention, we can:
Change location Introduce lessons with
different kinds of music Use a variety of
strategies Change students’
cooperative learning partners or team members regularly
Begin class with a variety of team-building activities
Go on field trips
Play review games such as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, family Feud, or Jeopardy.
Play drama games that relate to course content, such as Science Term Charades
Engage your students in brain teasers such as Mental Math or Lateral Thinking Puzzles
Thoughts on Glasser?
Y a!
Na…
Huh?
Critical Friend “Students should be allowed to acquire
in-depth information about topics they consider useful or interesting.” Student Choice vs. School Expectations—
teachers must teach what is in the curriculum
“Do not grade their work because grades suggest to students that the work is finished.” If we do not grade student work, what do
we show to administration, parents, etc.
Critical Friend “Allow students to come up with rules.”
Ron Morrish “Rule making should be the teacher’s job, and the teacher should be able to explain to students why the rules exist and what they are intended to accomplish.”
What happens when rules are broken? (consequences)
Critical Friend What about special needs students?
How do these students fit in Glasser’s Choice Theory and Quality Education?
William Glasser makes no mention of students who have special needs
Choice Theory seems to be designed for older students What about elementary students?
References Charles, C.M. Building Classroom Discipline. 10th. Toronto, ON: Pearson,
2011, 138-152. Erwin, J.C. (2003). Giving student what they need. Educational Leadership,
61, 19-23. Glasser, W. (1998). Choice theory: a new psychology of personal freedom.
New York: Harper Perennial. Glasser, W. (1988). Choice theory in the classroom. New York: Harper
Perennial. Glasser, W. (1997). Choice theory and students success. Education Digest,
63(3), 16-22. Glasser, W. (1997). A new look at school failure and school success. Phi Delta
Kappan, 78(8), 596-603. Palmatier, L. (1998). Crisis counseling for a quality school community:
applying william glasser's choice theory. USA: Taylor and Francis. Wubbolding, R.E. (2007). Glasser quality school. Group Dynamics: Theory,
Research and Practice, 11(4), 253-261. http://www.choicetheory.com/ct.htm
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