Control (Choice) Theory A Learning Technique By William Glasser

What is control theory?  Behavior is never caused by a response to an outside stimulus.  Instead, behavior is inspired by what a person wants most at any given time: survival, love, power, freedom, or any other basic human need.

Basic needs that fuel wants  To survive.  To belong and be loved by others.  To have power and importance.  To have freedom and independence.  To have fun.

What is the choice? By understanding the drives for SURVIVAL, POWER, LOVE, BELONGING, FREEDOM, and FUN in people, we become more conscious of the need for our world to be a quality world of our choosing.

10 Axioms of Control Theory 1. The only person whose behavior we can control is our own. 2. All we can give another person is information. 3. All long-lasting psychological problems are relationship problems. 4. The problem relationship is always part of our present life. 5. 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.

10 axioms of control theory 6. We can only satisfy our needs by satisfying the pictures in our Quality World. 7. All we do is behave. 8. All behaviors are Total Behaviors and are made up of four components: acting, thinking, feeling and physiology. All Total Behaviors are chosen, but we only have direct control over the acting and thinking components. 9. We can only control our feeling and physiology indirectly through how we choose to act and think. 10. All Total Behavior is designated by verbs and named by the part that is the most recognizable.

How does it work? A person can take greater responsibility for his actions and make the proper behavior choices by examining the following questions: What do you want? What do you want? What are you doing to achieve what you want? What are you doing to achieve what you want? Is it working? Is it working? What are your plans or options? What are your plans or options?

How it is applied in the classroom  Two Types of Teachers  Boss teachers Depends on the rules and consequences method and use rewards and punishment to get students to do what the teacher wants. Students are primarily motivated by rewards and avoiding punishment Students are primarily motivated by rewards and avoiding punishment Students are secondarily motivated by their own desire to learn. Students are secondarily motivated by their own desire to learn.

How it is applied in the classroom  Lead teachers Make aligning lessons and assignments with students' basic needs their primary business. They avoid the necessity of a reward system. A grading system is used for assessment, but only as a temporary indicator, not a reward. They avoid the necessity of a reward system. A grading system is used for assessment, but only as a temporary indicator, not a reward. students are engaged, deeply motivated learners, and not just children completing busy work and pre-determined requirements. students are engaged, deeply motivated learners, and not just children completing busy work and pre-determined requirements.

What are the results? Students have a say in what they learn, and teachers negotiate both content and method with them. Students have a say in what they learn, and teachers negotiate both content and method with them. How and what students learn stems directly stems from their basic needs. How and what students learn stems directly stems from their basic needs. In instruction, teachers tend to use cooperative, active learning techniques that enhance the power of the students. In instruction, teachers tend to use cooperative, active learning techniques that enhance the power of the students.

Application of the theory  Curriculum Teachers must negotiate both content and method with students. Students' basic needs literally help shape how and what they are taught. Teachers must negotiate both content and method with students. Students' basic needs literally help shape how and what they are taught.  Instruction Teachers rely on cooperative, active learning techniques that enhance the power of the learners. Lead teachers make sure that all assignments meet some degree of their students' need satisfaction. This secures student loyalty, which carries the class through whatever relatively meaningless tasks might be necessary to satisfy official requirements. Teachers rely on cooperative, active learning techniques that enhance the power of the learners. Lead teachers make sure that all assignments meet some degree of their students' need satisfaction. This secures student loyalty, which carries the class through whatever relatively meaningless tasks might be necessary to satisfy official requirements.

Application of the theory  Assessment Instructors only give "good grades“ those that certify quality work. This satisfies some students' need for power Instructors only give "good grades“ those that certify quality work. This satisfies some students' need for power Courses for which a student doesn't earn a "good grade" are not recorded on that student's transcript. Courses for which a student doesn't earn a "good grade" are not recorded on that student's transcript. Teachers grade students using an absolute standard, rather than a relative "curve." Teachers grade students using an absolute standard, rather than a relative "curve."

Goals of the control theory?  From the words of Glasser himself: To teach prospective teachers how to relate to their students so that the students feel the teachers care about them and respect them. Without “pay”, no human being will work up to their ability if he or she is not cared for and respected. To teach prospective teachers how to relate to their students so that the students feel the teachers care about them and respect them. Without “pay”, no human being will work up to their ability if he or she is not cared for and respected. To teach prospective teachers to introduce the concept of competency into their classrooms. No human being will work hard at anything unless they believe that they are working for competence. To teach prospective teachers to introduce the concept of competency into their classrooms. No human being will work hard at anything unless they believe that they are working for competence.

References  Funderstanding  WikEd  Interview with William Glasser 07/ai_n /ai_n /ai_n