Choice Theory Basic Intensive Week

July, 2007

Prior to attending the workshop I read several of Glasser's books including "Choice Theory", "Choice Theory in the Classroom", "The Quality School Teacher" and "Every Child Can Succeed". I learned a great deal about the basic needs, building positive relationships, quality school work and the competence based classroom. I felt I had a good start at understanding his theory and was eager to learn how to take the knowledge and put it into practice. I not only wanted to understand it, I wanted to own it.

WOW!!!!

The week of training was intense, exhausting, but absolutely terrific. We studied Glasser's entire view of choice theory and reality therapy from a personal, school and business point of view. We participated in group discussions and various role play situations as well as some lectures to learn the various aspects of choice theory. I left the workshop armed with strategies that would help me create a classroom in which every child can succeed and have fun learning. I couldn't wait for the new year to start!!!!

Throughout the week additional books were recommended. I found one by Jonathan Erwin entitled "The Classroom of Choice" to be very good and would recommend it highly. He has some straight forward and easy to understand strategies for teachers. He believes in offering students real opportunities rather than the obstacles that are a part of a traditional classroom based on a punishment reward model. He has dozens of ideas for improving motivation, work habits, opening lines of communication, supporting students in cooperative work and connecting the curriculum with individual interests. He is a teacher, so his ideas make sense and are very realistic and based on his own successes.

We also picked up "The Control Theory Manager" by Glasser. Since teaching is really all about management it seemed like a good choice. I have read it and I'm more sold on choice theory than ever. It has impressed both Vicki and I so much that we have given several of the books to Dale to read. We would like to see North Shore Middle School become the first Quality School in Wisconsin. Dale, our principal agrees and supports the Quality School ideas....something to work towards.....

We will be back at school before you know it. I'm looking forward to teaching the students about choice theory. I'm going to be using the blog as my reflection tool, resource, and source of documentation of the activities and ideas that I incorporate into my teaching. I will invite students, parents, teachers and the world connected through the Internet to watch as I create a competence based classroom in which every child can succeed. Comments are welcome....keep in mind however that we are all sensitive and have a need for power within which includes feeling important and competent at what we do.