Glassers Choice

What motivates my students?

Linda Segars
NW GA RESA
The Brain Seeks Two Things:
Emotion
This is the hook to get
students attention and
peak interest.
Meaning
This how the brain can
make sense of the
information coming
inand anchor it to
something it already
knows.
(These are the reasons for using Activating Strategiesthey hook
the students in emotionally and then link the new learning to what
they already know or have experienced so the brain can create
meaning.)

Research Quotes
Information stays in short-term memory only
briefly. It moves from short-term to long-
term memory only if there a compelling
reason to remember the informationa
WHY.
More than ninety percent of our reasons
for taking action and remembering the
whys occur in the unconscious mind.
The part of the brain that determines what
we remember resides in the same area as
emotions. Therefore, if the why to
remember something is linked to emotions, it
is more likely to be retained longer than if it
is not. ALL LEARNING IS LINKED TO
EMOTIONS.
Continued in next slide
Research Quotes
(Continued from previous slide.)
Students come to school with their own whys
emotional reasons for being there. These whys
are basic needs to survive, to belong and love, to
gain power, to be free, and to have fun.
Students possessing negative attitudes toward
learning are limited in their ability to transfer their
knowledge to new learning situations.
Teachers can aid students desire to learn,
affecting their emotions and attitudes, by
addressing students basic needs through what
they say and what they do in the classroom.

William Glassers
Choice Theory

We all make choices according to
basic needs that come from within
ourselves. The needs drive our
choices and influence how we
behave in those choices.

5 Basic Needs
(according to Glasser)

o Fun
o Freedom
o Power
o Belonging
o Survival
Fun
The need for pleasure
To play
To laugh
Naturally motivating
No one has to bribe you to do these things

Try to imagine life without fun
Freedom
The need for independence
For autonomy
For control over ones own life
For choice


Some students have had little experience with
choice
Power
Empowerment
The need to achieve
To be recognized for achievement/skills
To have a sense of self-worth
To contribute

What makes your students feel valued?

Belonging
The need for love
For relationships
Social connection
Part of a group


In schools, we must work to make students
(parents, teachers) feel they belong
Survival
Physiological
The need for food, shelter, safety
Safe from bullying


Schools should be a safe environment from
bodily harm, mental or physical intimidation,
abuse.
A Compelling Why

is a term used for an emotionally-linked
reason or motive that drives a person to
make a choice.
compels us to want to learn something,
commit information to long-term memory,
and to recall it when desired.

ALL BEHAVIOR IS
PURPOSEFUL!

It is our best attempt,
at the time,
given our current knowledge and skills,
to meet one or more of our basic
human needs.

Dr. William Glasser

So, what does that have to do
with my classroom?

Characteristics of the 5 basic
needs:
Universal
Innate
Overlapping
Satisfied from moment to moment
Conflict with others needs
Classroom Implications
What needs are met with Cooperative Learning
(Collaborative Pairs, Group Work)?
Classroom Rules?
Athletics?
Clubs/Organizations?
Community service?
Review games?
Posting student work?
Hot and cold lunch lines?
Positive phone calls home?