I was especially interested in the chapter dealing with discipline, considering the population of students that I work with. Glasser described a means of addressing discipline problems using non-blaming and non-coercive methods that engage the student in problem solving and goal setting. The methods are focused upon ways to empower students by learning new ways to solve their problems and to help other students solve theirs. Threats and punishment are eliminated. This approach advocates abandonment of the stimulus-response theory and adopts instead, the belief that all behavior is internally motivated and based upon the human needs of love, power, fun, freedom and survival. Glasser says that wahtever one discovers that satisfies one or more of these basic needs is defined as quality. Therefore, a quality school would be one that is a need-satisfying school.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 1998

Answers

Cindy, I had a course on Glasser's "Choice Theory". You might want to find out more about his "G-PAR" (goal,plan,action). Students that are having behavior problems meet with a trained adult and make a goal, and a plan for when they get into a situation that make cause trouble. He also uses G-PAR with all of the other students for what ever their needs are. Remember, people do not plan to fail, they just fail to plan.

-- Anonymous, December 15, 1998

I find your perception about discipline today a real and active problem within our schools today. According to Glasser we must offer choice to be effective in the classroom. In my mind there is no other option because we must function not as a discipline instructor but an educator, however, my beliefs are constantly challenged. It appears to be human nature that we deviate from thoses that 'tell us what to do'. Remember when your parents told you to clean your room, wash your laundry, or wash dishes? Your response was "probably" ignore the request or say no... I realize that this could just be my reaction but I find that discipline works the same way. I never actively create a power struggle with a student. In association with this thought...I think it is interesting how Glasser's theory was, at one time, called control theory (a rather ironic term for a man that promotes choice). Why am I always a cynic :)

-- Anonymous, December 27, 1998