Transcript Glasser’s Choice

Glasser’s Choice
What motivates my students?
Linda Segars
NW GA RESA
The Brain Seeks Two Things:
► Emotion
► Meaning
This is the “hook” to get
students’ attention and
peak interest.
This how the brain can
make sense of the
information coming
in…and anchor it to
something it already
knows.
(These are the reasons for using Activating Strategies…they 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 longterm memory only if there a compelling
reason to remember the information—a
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 Glasser’s
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)
Fun
o Freedom
o Power
o Belonging
o Survival
o
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 one’s 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 other’s 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?