Posts

The Solving Circle

-
The Solving Circle William Glasser’s Solving Circle has many applications and can be adapted for use with students in schools.  It is a valuable tool in the toolbox of the Lead Manager. This example explains a process that was used in a primary school in Queensland Australia with great success and with long-lasting results. The Story Every person who joins a group changes the dynamics.  A new year six student arrived at Arundel State School during the year.  She was a vivacious, attractive girl from South Africa of Indian descent. The ‘in-group’ of year six girls immediately included her in their group.  After a time,  the relationship began to deteriorate and  turned quite nasty and it descended into name-calling and general put-downs, ending up a catfight and the girls scratching of each other.  Parents became involved.  The classroom teacher and I were both Glasser advocates and decided this would be an excellent opportunity to use the Solving Circle.  I
Post a Comment
Read more

The Weather Rope

-
Image
The Weather Rope My older brother and I had a discussion about school journals that were a part of our reading program at school in New Zealand all those years ago.  He reminded me about a story that had made a huge impact on him called   The Weather Rope . Perhaps it was the fact that we grew up in a farming community where the weather was always a topic of discussion "We need rain." Or "Wish it would stop raining so we can get the hay in." Perhaps it was the possibility of being able to control things over which we had no control. The story told of a community that discovered a weather rope that hung from the sky.  All one had to do was to go and pull on the rope to get a change in the weather.  If the community wanted rain then the rope was pulled and hey presto there was rain.  Then if the rain was sufficient for the grass to grow, the rope was pulled again and there was the sunshine to dry up all the puddles. This all went along ver
Post a Comment
Read more

Leading Example

-
Image
Leading Example                                                   Permission has been given to use this artwork R arely are politicians challenged to lead their country through sweeping and far-reaching change.   In her short time as Prime Minister of Aotearoa New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern has confronted three unprecedented ordeals.   2019 brought the Christchurch massacre and the eruption of Whakaari White Island. 2020 brought the emerging COVID 19 virus pandemic. We went to sleep in one world and woke up in another. People were asked to stay at home for four weeks.   The only people able to go out were those essential workers travelling to and from work, or those going to the supermarket and pharmacy.   Over 70s were also asked to stay at home.   This step, in a bid to stop the spread of the virus and save lives, started just past midnight of 25 th March 2020.   Bringing such significant change at remarkable speed required major courage, collaborative p
Post a Comment
Read more

Glasser Aotearoa New Zealand Inc

-
Image
It has been some time since this blog has been used. Like a number of things online, it has been ignored or forgotten.  It will no longer be forgotten as it now has a home on the newly created, rebranded Glasser Aoteroa New Zealand website.   A new logo was commissioned in 2019 to give a fresh new look whilst maintaining the concept of the hands and a flame of the original logo of The William Glasser Institute all with an Aotearoa New Zealand theme. In January 2020  following a two-day retreat in Auckland at the home of Ksenija Napan, replacing the William Glasser Institute  New Zealand,  Glasser Aotearoa New Zealand was launched with the new Management Committee making some decisions about the future of the organisation.  The beginnings of a new website has been constructed and the blog was linked for ease of access. These blogs will be intermittent as time permits. From time to time we will add links to other people's work.   We invite anyone who would like to contrib
Post a Comment
Read more

If Dr. Glasser's Ideas Are So Great and Have Been Around for Fifty Years, Why Aren't All Schools Using Them?

-
A Murray High School Perspective         Recently, I received an email from a teacher who hopes to convince the administration and staff of her school to move in the direction of creating a Glasser Quality School.  She was asked the question that is the title of this article and she wanted my help to answer it.  Perhaps she sent this to many of the Glasser Quality Schools.  I found this a compelling question and I wanted to share my answer here because we have all given a lot of thought to our goal of teaching the world choice theory and we have often wondered why there aren't more Glasser Quality Schools.  Below is my answer to her question:             What a great question!  Actually, it has only been 20 years since Dr. Glasser put his ideas together into a form that could help people create an entire school.  He came out with The Quality School and Quality School Teacher in the mid-90's.  Also, this is not a program that can be started in a school at the beginning
Post a Comment
Read more

The Loss of Our Teacher and Mentor

-
Dr Glasser It is with great sadness that we mourn the loss of our teacher, mentor and friend.  Dr William Glasser MD passed away peacefully in his home in Los Angeles on the 23 August, 2013. Glasser visited New Zealand on two occasions.  Each time he brought the energy of his teaching as he connected with many throughout the country.  His attendance at the conference in Christchurch was a standout time for those of us who attended. Gwen Sands and I had dinner with him following that conference, and we will both always have that memory etched in our quality worlds. I wish to pay tribute to him and what I think is some of what he has taught us. Dr Glasser - The Lens Maker The lens through which we view the world is the beliefs we have about how we live our lives.  Are we at the mercy of things and people outside ourselves or do we have control?  This lens impacts on how we interact with others, how we accept what is happening with us and those around us.    If we view th
Post a Comment
Read more

Happy 88th Birthday Dr Glasser

-
It is fitting that this week , Teacher Appreciation Week , is the 88 th birthday of the originator of Choice Theory and its applications Dr William Glasser.   We have learned from this amazing man through his books, his trainings, his conference presentations and his videos.   We are so thankful for this knowledge, skills and understandings he has taught us.   The world is a better place for him being here. We wish you a very happy 88th birthday on May 11 Dr Glasser.   From Bette Blance and the members of the William Glasser Institute-New   Zealand.
Post a Comment
Read more