CHOICE THEORY Sessions #1-4 January 12-16, 2009 Developed by Dr. William Glasser in 1998

STUDENT GOALS: To become more responsible for your behavior Be more tolerant of others To understand why & how to make choices How to get along better with the people in your lives

STUDENTS WILL GAIN EXPERIENCE IN: Speaking Listening Creative Thinking

TOPICS: Respect Creativity Self-Evaluation Trust Acceptance Negotiating Differences Character Friendship

Session 1 - Meetings Page 1 – Monday, 1/12/09

TOPIC #1: A MEETING What is a meeting? –What are some of the reasons to have a meeting? How is it different from being in class? When have you ever been to a meeting? Who do you know who goes to meetings?

CHALLENGE THE TOPIC: If we could talk about things that would help our friendships, where would we start? Think about what rules we should have for conducting our meetings, so that everyone feels included & gets the most out of these meetings?

Page 1 – Monday, 1/12/09 ASSIGNMENT #1: INTERVIEW 1 ADULT Over the Age of 25 & ask: What kinds of meetings do you go to? Do you enjoy meetings? –Why? –Why not?

Page 2 – Monday, 1/12/09 Your Special Skill Imagine that you have decided to apply for a job. As part of the job application, you have been asked to identify one thing that you do particularly well & to write an essay convincing the employer to hire you based on this special talent.

Session #2 Choice Theory Page 3 – Tuesday, 1/13/09

SHARE INTERVIEWS FROM ASSIGNMENT #1

Student Introductions Name Culture Age Hobby(ies) Goals

TOPIC #2: CHOICE THEORY What is choice? What choices do we all have? What is a theory? Why do we have theories? What is one good choice you have made? What are some choices you made that later turned out to be mistakes?

CHALLENGE THE TOPIC: Why do some people have a hard time making a choice? What questions do you ask yourself to help you decide if you are making a good choice? What are some of the important choices we make in life?

Page 3 – Tuesday, 1/13/09 ASSIGNMENT #2: Choice Theory believes that: –“Everything we do is a choice.” Ask 3 other people’s opinions about this statement & write down what they say. Write down your opinion about the theory. Do you agree or disagree with what others said?

Session #3 - Needs Page 4 - 1/14/09

SHARE PEOPLE’S THOUGHTS ABOUT CHOICE FROM ASSIGNMENT #2

Student Introductions Name Culture Age Hobby(ies) Goals

TOPIC #3: NEEDS What are needs? Who has needs? Which needs are the same for everyone? What do you need to be happy?

CHALLENGE THE TOPIC: What do people do if they don’t have what they need? Why is it important to know about what people need?

ASSIGNMENT #3: Page 4 – Wednesday, 1/14/09 The 5 needs as defined by Glasser are: –Survival –Love & Belonging –Freedom –Fun –Power Write a paragraph about your favorite subject or activity in school and why you think it is useful or how it satisfies at least 2 of your needs.

Session #4 - Survival Page 5 – Thursday, 1/15/09

SHARE FAVORITE SUBJECT OR ACTIVITY FROM ASSIGNMENT #3

Student Introductions Name Culture Age Hobby(ies) Goals

TOPIC #4: SURVIVAL What is survival? What does survival of the fittest mean? How is this “law” applied in different cultures & in the animal kingdom? When could your survival be threatened? What rules do you follow to keep yourself safe from harm?

CHALLEGE THE TOPIC: What is man’s greatest threat to survival?

Page 5 – Thursday, 1/15/09 ASSIGNMENT #4: Basics of survival: –Conservation –Cooperation w/others –Guidelines for safety –Creative problem-solving You are stranded in a forest all by yourself with only matches & a gallon of water. Write a paragraph about what you would need to survive & what you will have to do to get it.

Accessing Classroom Assignments From The Internet Page 6 – Thursday, 1/15/09

clevelandhs.org Click on - Teachers/Staff –Click on - Staff Directory Scroll down to & Click on - Laverne Potter Scroll to bottom of page –Click on your class –Click on – See Homework Click on link or handouts from the assignment you need.

WORK ON “MY SPECIAL SKILL” Friday, 1/16/09 Working on Computers No Additional Entry in Journals Today