Assignment 14  Lesson 13 q1

Glasser Switch

A large city school system is considering switching from its traditional classroom management program to the Glasser technique. What are the most important problems that it is likely to encounter and how might they be resolved?

An overview of The Glasser Model from Developing a Discipline Plan for You:

• Students are rational beings capable of controlling their own behavior.
• Help pupils learn to make good choices, since good choices produce good behavior.
• Do not accept excuses for bad behavior. Ask, "What choices did you have? Why did you make that choice? Did you like the result? What have you learned?"
• Reasonable consequences should always follow good or bad student behavior.
  • [Usually developed in classroom meetings,] class rules are essential to a good learning climate, they must be enforced.
  • Classroom meetings are a good way to develop and maintain class behavior. [The group diagnoses the problem and seeks solutions.]

The following are problems the Springfield Public Schools would be likely to encounter and possible solutions. The solutions come from my perspective as an administrator.

Problem: If the standards, benchmarks, and body of knowledge are supposed to be the curriculum, how can we allow students to choose the topics they want to study. Won't this lead to gaps in learning? How will this affect those students who change schools during the year?

Resolution: Glasser calls for quality teaching in all classrooms. He believes that students should only do work that is useful. Information should be taught and learned provided it meets at least one of the following criteria: 

• The information is directly related to an important skill.

• The information is something that students express a desire to learn.

• The information is something the teacher believes is especially useful. (Remember that our standards, benchmarks, and body of knowledge were created by teachers in our district.)

• The information is required for college entrance exams. (Charles, 187)

The standards, benchmarks, and body of knowledge consist of the basic set of skills that we want our students to master before leaving that grade level. They compose approximately 75% of your curriculum. As long as they are covered, you can add additional material that has high student interest. Because 75% of the material is common to all students at each grade level, mobility is less of a factor.

Problem: In the 1980's, we were indoctrinated in Assertive Discipline. We have become comfortable with that system and find that it works well. Why should we change to the Glasser model? How will we learn about the new model?

Resolution: In the next three years, a majority of the teachers in our district will not have been with us in the 1980's when large amounts of time and money were spent on staff development on the AD model. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the district to provide staff development on classroom management. This will take place during school with subs or after school at the curriculum rate. Each teacher will choose the time.

The switch will not be made district wide until pilot schools have shown that the model is effective in our schools. The pilot teachers would meet several times to discuss the new model and determine if they will recommend the change. 

The district would provide research that supports the Glasser model and encourage study groups at each school to study the reasons for change.

Problem: According to Tom Anderson at the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, class meetings should take place for elementary students once per day and high school students two to three times per week and be up to 45 minutes in length. The amount of time for class meetings will cut into our instructional time.

Solution: Time is a precious commodity. Note that it says up to 45 minutes in length. Most meetings will be shorter than that. At the middle schools, teachers can use the teaming ideas from Project LINCOL'N training to incorporate the team meetings. Because the student's are all on a team, they can use team time to have meetings. Length of meetings and time on task will be monitored by teachers to determine the appropriate amount of time to devote to class meetings each week.

Problem: Our school has been trained in site based decision making. Will we have the chance to decide what model, or combination of models, would work best for our school?

Resolution: Yes, site-based schools may make their own decision, provide that the decision is  based on research and the team reaches consensus. If a different model will be used in those schools, it will be the responsibility of the school to provide training in that model.

References:

Book:

Charles, C.M. Building Classroom Discipline.

Websites:

Allen, Thomas H.  Developing a Discipline Plan for You.

Anderson, Tom. Power Point presentation. Some Impressions of Glasser's Work.

What is Reality Therapy?