1. Noncoercive Discipline
William Glasser
Noncoercive Discipline

2. Books include: Schools without Failure (1969)
Control Theory in the Classroom (1986)
Glasser suggested that interesting lessons engage students. He also notes that students’ needs must be met.

3. Meeting Basic Needs Classroom Examples?
Survival
Belonging
Power
Fun
Freedom
To which theorist can you relate?

4. Classroom Meetings
Discussion to solve problems including behavior issues
We don’t force appropriate behavior.
If basic needs satisfied, then students will be motivated to participate.
Quality Curriculum
Relevant
Active involvement
Enjoyable
Depth vs. Breadth

5. Quality Teaching (Charles, 2002, pp. 127-128)
“Provide a warm, supportive classroom climate.”
“Ask students to do only work that is useful.”
“Always ask students to do the best they can.”
“Ask students to evaluate work they have done and improve it.”
“SIR (self-evaluation, improvement, repetition)”

6. “Help students see that quality work makes them feel good.”
“There is no better human feeling than that which comes from the satisfaction of doing something useful that you believe is the very best you can do and finding that others agree.” (Charles, p. 128)
“Help students see that quality work is never destructive to oneself, others, or the environment.”

7. Boss vs. Lead Teachers Boss Teachers (Charles, p. 128)
Set tasks/standards
Talk with rare student input
Lack student involvement in evaluation
Coerce
Lead Teachers—Two tasks (Charles, p. 129)
Organizing interesting activities
Provide assistance to students

8. Additional info (Charles, 2002, p. 131)
No approach will solve all behavior problems
Develop class rules to help students learn
Class meetings can explore alternatives to inappropriate behavior
Problemsolving approach

9. Final thoughts:
“…expecting students to do boring work in school ‘is like asking someone who is sitting on a hot stove to sit still and stop complaining’” (Charles, 2002, p. 132)
Glasser’s approach engages teachers as problem solvers rather than punishers.