I would like to know the difference between power and freedom in regards to the classroom. I am a teacher

Thank you- Bryan Auld

-- Bryan Auld (ay46@iona.edu), October 25, 2004

Answers

As Glasser sees it, all our behaviour is driven by our genetic needs two of whch are power and freedom. We ourselves create specific and unique pictures to fill each of these needs. Thus, kids in a classroom will engage in specific behaviours that help them fill each of these needs .Often the behaviour they choose is not that which the teacher would wish had been chosen . For example: for power a kid may challenge the teacher and be delighted to be seen by his peers as a tough guy. If you have a relationship with a kid it may be possible to ask a question like : "When do you feel powerful in school? or "When in schol do you feel free? The answers are often interesting. I suppose, ideally, the idea is to make a classroom so need satisfying that kids do not need to engage in "unwanted" behaviours.

-- ken lyons (kenlyon@gofree.indigo .ie), October 25, 2004.

Bryan, I too am a teacher and for the last 12 years have been using Choice Theory in the classroom. During this time, I have been able to develop parameters for the specific needs, though they often overlap. I choose the following guidelines and teach accordingly:

Fun--Items allowing laughter and/or enjoyment of life

Power--Items affecting appearance, health, KNOWLEDGE, LEARNING ABILITY, character development, roles, and quality exeriences.

Freedom--Items affecting the ability to make specific choices or decisions

Love and Belonging--Items allowing the expression/reception of care and concern for/from others.

If you've not had the opportunity, investigate the Quality School Movement. Within in this philosophy of education, is the requirement that we, as educators, establish a learning environment that is need- fulfilling. Meaning, our students (and we) have Fun, Power, Freedom, and Love and Belonging while interacting in our environment, in which learning almost becomes incidental. Dr. Glasser was supposed to have once indicated that Fun was the major need met when one is learning. Consider the service industry, in which personnel are paid for knowledge not a product. How powerful is a top-notch lawyer? A low- notch lawyer? A well trained doctor? Knowledge is power and at the very least, an implication of Power. It's almost time to begin classes, thanks for the opportunity to get the brain juices flowing. TD

-- Ted Donato (tdonato@toppenish.wednet.edu), January 04, 2005.