Theory to

Practice

Sara Dove

What is Choice Theory?

After 50 years of theory and practice in psychology and
counseling William Glasser created the Choice Theory.
In 1988 he published the book Choice Theory: A New Psychology
of Personal Freedom of his findings.
The Choice Theory states that all we do is behave, that almost
all behavior is chosen, and that we are driven by our genes to
satisfy the five basic needs: survival, love and belonging, power,
freedom, and fun.

Relationships and our Habits

Seven Caring Habits

Seven Deadly Habits

1.Supporting

1.Criticizing

2.Encouraging

2.Blaming

3.Listening

3.Complaining

4.Accepting

4.Nagging

5.Trusting

5.Threatening

6.Respecting

6.Punishing

7.Negotiating differences

7.Bribing, rewarding to control

The Ten Axioms of Choice

Theory

The only person whose behavior we can control is our own.

All we can give another person is information.

All long-lasting psychological problems are relationship problems.

The problem relationship is always part of our present life.

What happened in the past has everything to do with what we are today, but we can only satisfy our
basic needs right now and plan to continue satisfying them in the future.

We can only satisfy our needs by satisfying the pictures in our Quality World.

All we do is behave.

All behavior is Total Behavior and is made up of four components: acting, thinking, feeling and
physiology.

All Total Behavior is chosen, but we only have direct control over the acting and thinking
components. We can only control our feeling and physiology indirectly through how we choose to act
and think.

All Total Behavior is designated by verbs and named by the part that is the most recognizable.

I Identify With Choice Theory

Because
I believe every one of my students has control over their life and the person
they want to be.
I believe students whom are successful are motivated within and by others
with a shared goal.
I believe positive relationships between students and teachers are crucial to
the students achievement.
I believe students are not able to learn if their basic needs are not met: sleep,
food, water, clean clothing, stable shelter.
I believe students should receive all 5 of their basic needs within my
classroom.
I believe in natural consequences.

I believe in Choice Theory

Because.
This helps students to prepare for the real world
Provides students consequences they will face outside of school
and further on in life.
Allows students to be in charge of themselves and choose their
own behavior.
Students will not live and make decisions for themselves in the
future if they do not start doing it now.
Teachers, principals, and other school staff should always
provide the 5 basic needs to students at all times.

I Have Seen Choice Theory

A defiant and misbehaving student in my current placement. His
natural consequences for not doing his work is he will not grow
as a student and fall even further behind. His natural
consequence for his behavior is that no one will want to be his
friend.
My students confide and trust me more than my CT because I
always make sure their 5 basic needs are met.
The teachers I value and love provided me with my 5 basic
needs.

Choice Theory In My
Classroom

Students will choose their punishment. If I feel it is not

sufficient then they will have to brainstorm and choose another
punishment.

Students will choose as much of their content as possible while

still following curriculum.
I will create a positive relationship with students to help aid in
their achievement.
I will ensure every day that every single one of my students five
basic needs are met.

What is Constructivism?
Views learning as an active and the learner is an information
constructor
Learners create their own representation of the information
learned of their own reality. Learners also link their learning to
prior knowledge which is their own reality and experiences.
Contributors to this theory are John Dewey, Lev Semyonovich
Vygotsky, Jean Piaget and Jerome Brunner.
Cognitive structures of the learner allow them to provide their
own meaning and organization of information.

I Identify With Constructivist

Theory Because.

I believe all students learn and comprehend information from

the same topic in different ways.

I believe everyone has different experiences and those

experiences can help or inhibit our learning.
I believe everyone constructs their learning differently.
I believe this because I have been taught the same information
as many others in classrooms my entire life yet we all learned
and remember the information differently.

I Believe in Constructivist
Theory Because
It provides the basis for how students process the information
we provide them.
It explains why we do not all have the same intelligence and
process information the same.
It takes into the account how our lives and experiences effect
our processing of information.

I Have Seen Constructivist

Theory
In the various settings I have taught in. In my current placement
with many lower socio economic status students they have
different experiences than students that are in a higher socio
economic status. These differences in experiences allow the
lower students to not process stories and other information the
same.
Talking about something such as the beach in a story and
having some students be able to connect and comprehend and
others cannot.
Teaching a lesson and having all students construct the
information differently into their own meaning and words.

Constructivist Theory In My
Classroom
I will always encourage students to do what is best for them in
processing information.
I will always welcome the interpretation of content from
students. Not making them conform.
I will always encourage students to relate their learning to their
experiences and lives to make the learning more valuable and
relatable.
I will always have multiple resources for teaching content
because students have different experiences and cognitive
structures.

Culture In My Classroom
My classroom culture will be inclusive and positive. All students
will feel welcomed and have the standard of only encouraging
others. Negative behaviors toward other students and me will
face consequences in which that student chooses or faces
naturally. I will always model to my students positive
encouraging behavior by treating them and other building staff
with the upmost respect. While I know all students will not get
along perfectly, in that situation I will teach the idea of while we
may not get along we still respect one another and do not inflict
negative feelings. Feelings will either be neutral or positive
within my classroom.

Expectations In My Classroom
I will hold my students to the highest expectations in my
classroom. Every single one of my students can achieve
greatness with a growth mindset. The growth mindset is key. My
students will always be expected to exhibit a growth mindset
and work through any problems they face. My expectation with
their behavior is that they will make the best possible choice in
exhibiting positive and inclusive behavior. When I feel a student
has not exhibited their greatest work I will ask them to choose
whether they would like to turn it in and face the natural
consequences of not learning the content to their greatest
ability or add more detail/redo the assignment to gain a better
knowledge of content and therefore a better grade.

Discipline In My Classroom
Natural and chosen consequences will be used in my classroom.
It will vary on the behavior which is used. For minor behavior, I
will allow natural consequences to run their course. For major
behavior, such as bullying and physical altercations, the student
will be given time to think of a consequence and it will have to
be approved by me. If I feel it is not sufficient then I will allow
the student to think and choose again. Students will face
consequences in my classroom that are realistic and what they
would face whether they were out of the classroom or within the
classroom. This help prepares them in making choices in their
lives and living with the natural consequences.

Curriculum In My Classroom
Curriculum in my classroom will be implemented but in a range
of instructional strategies to support all students learning
abilities. Curriculum will sometimes be determined by the
students and their drive of what knowledge they desire to
attain. I will always teach the standards provided for that state
but will do so in a manor that students will able to connect their
learning to their experiences and retain the information in the
best possible way.

Strategy
My strategy to get students motivated and learning is to
encourage them through growth mindset. Then depending on
the best instruction for my students and the content I will either
model the steps I want them to take or learn through discovery
and inquiry based learning. I expect my students to do a lot of
the thinking and learning for themselves. I want to be a
facilitator to my students and their learning not just teach them
by telling. My students will do the learning and thinking for
themselves. Another strategy is shaping my curriculum to fit the
desire of content my students want to attain. I want to fit all of
my practice to what my students need from me and how I can
be the best teacher for them.

Resources
http://www.wglasser.com/the-glasser-approach/choice-theory

http://www.funderstanding.com/educators/choice-theory/

https://www.learning-theories.com/constructivism.html

http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/constructivist.html