Activity
 The Name Game
 Say your name and your favorite color
 First person says name and color
 Second person says their name and color and repeats the first
person’s name and color…
 Third person follows the same procedure.
Glasser’s Theory
(Choice Theory)
Marie Johnson
Mauricio Jaime
“In this society the survival need is normally being met - it
is in how we meet the other four ``psychological'' needs
that we run into trouble.” http://www.choicetheory.com/links.htm (Rogha- Article)
Biographical Information

1925 William Glasser is born on May 11th in Cleveland Ohio to Ben and Betty Glasser.

1942 Graduates from Cleveland Heights High School. Enters CASE School of Applied

Science.

1945 Completes B.S. degree in chemical engineering and begins work as a chemical engineer for Lubrizol at CASE.

1948 Completes Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and enters the doctoral program at Western Reserve.

1949 -1953 Enters Western Reserve University Medical School and graduated.

1954 Commences psychiatric residency as a ward doctor at the Brentwood Veterans Neuropsychiatric Hospital in West Los
Angeles. Works with male patients diagnosed with schizophrenia.

1958 Begins lecturing on mental health vs. mental illness for the California Youth Authority.

1960 First book Mental Health or Mental Illness? is published.

1967 Establishes The Institute for Reality Therapy. Continues work at the Ventura School for Delinquent Girls.

1978 Writing and working with the ideas of Control Theory

1985 Take Effective Control of Your Life is reprinted in paperback as Control Theory.

1986 Control Theory in the Classroom is published. The Glasser Scholarship Fund is started to help provide training for
Reality Therapy Certification. Private practice office is closed due to extensive lecture schedule, worldwide. The 7th
International Convention is held in Seattle, WA.

1996 Choice Theory replaces Control Theory in a talk just north of Brisbane, Australia part of an extensive three month
speaking tour in New Zealand, Australia, Korea, Japan and Singapore. The name of The Institute for Reality Therapy, Control
Theory, and Lead Management is changed to The William Glasser Institute. At the 15th International Convention in
Albuquerque, NM, Glasser takes a formal stand against the use of discipline programs in all schools.

2006 Begins teaching Choice Theory as a class in the addictions counseling program at Loyola Marymount University with
Bradley Smith. Receives an honorary degree of Doctorate of Education from Pacific Union College, Angwin, CA. The 25th
William Glasser Institute International Conference is held in Jersey City, NJ.
www. wglasser.com
What is the Choice Theory?
 A central aspect of Choice Theory is the belief that we are internally, not
externally motivated. While other theories suggest that outside events "cause"
us to behave in certain predictable ways, Choice Theory teaches that outside
events never "make" us to do anything. What drives our behavior are internally
developed notions of what is most important and satisfying to us.
 Another major concept in Choice Theory is the notion that we always have
some choice about how to behave
 When people learn to apply the principles of Choice Theory, they are taught
how to more consciously self-evaluate so that the behaviors they choose have
the best chance of helping them achieve what they want in ways that are
responsible.
http://www.choicetheory.com/ct.htm
The Ten Axioms of Choice Theory
Axioms= 1. a self-evident truth that requires no proof.
2. a universally accepted principle or rule.
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.
6.
We can only satisfy our needs by satisfying the pictures in our Quality World.
7.
All we do is behave.
8.
All behavior is Total Behavior and is made up of four components: acting, thinking, feeling and physiology.
9.
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.
10. All Total Behavior is designated by verbs and named by the part that is the most recognizable.
Relationships and our Habits
Seven Caring Habits
1.Supporting
2.Encouraging
3.Listening
4.Accepting
5.Trusting
6.Respecting
7.Negotiating differences
Seven Deadly Habits
1.Criticizing
2.Blaming
3.Complaining
4.Nagging
5.Threatening
6.Punishing
7.Bribing, rewarding to
control
http://www.wglasser.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=27
Glasser’s Choice Theory
5 Key Concepts
1. Survival
“The physical need for food, shelter, safety, and security.” “ unless students feel safe and secure , it is
difficult for them to have fun.”
2. Love and belonging
“ Human beings are social creatures.” “There is a proven correlation between the quality of
relationships in our lives and our physical and mental well-being.”
3. Gain Personal Power
“ This means to achieve , to gain knowledge and skills, and to receive recognition.
4. To Be Free
“The American Declaration of Independence refers to this need as one of humankind’s “inalienable
rights, (this is the ability to do what we want, to have free choice). and yet , ironically, freedom is
one of the needs students find the hardest time meeting in school.”
5. Fun
An interesting ultimate goal. When all of these are fulfilled it is time to just have fun!!
Erwin, J. (2005). Put Back the Fun in Classrooms. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 70(5), 14-19. Retrieved from
EBSCOhost.
Theory Put into Practice

Survival
Allowing snacks, encourage regular water breaks, and keeping classroom plants or opening
windows; consistently maintaining behavior guidelines that support safety and respect
and developing consistent classroom procedures and routines that add to a sense of
order and security.

Love and Belonging
Learn student’s names as soon as possible and help them learn each other’s names. Engage
in team building activities that encourage students to get to know each other. Provide
students with cooperative learning opportunities (ex. Think-Pair-Share), and conduct
regular class meetings.
Erwin, J. (2005). Put Back the Fun in Classrooms. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 70(5), 14-19. Retrieved from
EBSCOhost.
Theory Put into Practice
Continued…

Gain Personal Power
Include them in the development of classroom rules and guidelines, Giving the students a
voice in the classroom. Teaching to a variety of learning styles, allowing students to
demonstrate mastery of learning objectives. Providing students with timely, specific feed
back on their work and recognition for their achievements.

To Be Free
Offer them choices like seating, team members for cooperative learning projects, use
performance tasks for assessments, (alternative projects instead of testing) allow them to
play to their strengths.

Fun
Games
-
Mental games: brain teasers, mental math, puzzles, Jeopardy,
-
Physical games: energizers, adventure- bases learning games.
-
Drama games: skits, tongue twister, charades.
How should the Environment be in
the classroom?
 JOYFUL!!!
 To create a joyful environment, keep the following mind: All
students need to feel physically and emotional safe before
they can see school as fun.
Ways to make the classroom fun ! By keeping the students 5
needs in mind we are create a fun learning environment.
Erwin, J. (2005). Put Back the Fun in Classrooms. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 70(5), 14-19.
Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Guiding Questions
 What are you doing?
 How is your behavior helping the class?
 How can you change your behavior to help the class?
Results
* If student reacts to question in negative manner, then they
have broken a rule and must face the consequences.
* However, if the student reacts positively, they have made
the CHOICE to change their behavior in a positive
manner.
http://changingminds.org/explanations/needs/glasser_five_needs.htm
Reference

Erwin, J. (2005). Put Back the Fun in Classrooms. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review,
70(5), 14-19. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Furr, Lee W. (2009, April 15). Choice theory psychology. Retrieved from http://www.choicetheory.com/links.htm

Glasser, William. (2011)"Glasser's five needs." Changing minds and persuasion -- How we change what others think,
believe, feel and do. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 May 2011
<http://changingminds.org/explanations/needs/glasser_five_needs.htm>.

Glasser, William. (2010, January 1). Reality therapy, lead-management, and glasser quality school education. .
Retrieved from http://www.wglasser.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=27