Choice Theory in New Zealand

Raewyn Thorne, Regional Coordinator of the William Glasser Institute-New Zealand has sent in this report of a recent meeting held in New Zealand. Last Thursday a small group of people who had completed a Basic Intensive Week at different times in the last 15 years, met in Tokoroa, part of the Central region with Bette Blance.  After coffee and nibbles and a catch up chat, Tina-Maree Hooper shared a little of her experiences at the Glasser Conference in Los Angeles in June and some of the ideas she had brought back with her.   The Choice Theory chart came to life again as Bette walked around it and linked it to our discussions and behaviours. We also reviewed the axioms of Choice Theory.  Feedback has included "I just learn a little more every time"  and "It's great to have the chance to ask questions in a small group".  We arranged to meet again in November when another 6 or 7 will have completed their Basic Intensive Training.

This story comes from Raewyn Whiteman Thorne who is the Regional Coordinator for the William Glasser Institute - New Zealand.  She is at Tokoroa North Primary School. Her story was about one particular student who came off the field more than a bit stroppy at interval complaining about another student.  He said he was being mean, he wouldn't let him play and was saying mean stuff. The boy stood beside Raewyn huffing and puffing with a bit of swearing.  Raewyn said to him, "So  what do you want?  Do you want to play or to stand here with me, you can only sort out your stuff not the other boy." He stood there sulking for a few minutes and within five minutes was back on the field, hesitantly at  first, then he got over it and did really well. "We reflected later" said Raewyn "and he could tell me exactly how it was and what he had to sort out."   Choice Theory made it so simple.

Those of us committed to Choice Theory in the field of education would most likely agree that if all schools were Glasser Quality Schools, we would have little need for places like the Californian Institution for Women in Los Angeles. And perhaps people like Paul Van Houts, mental health nurse in Townsville in Australia would have fewer clients. And perhaps fewer patients would be in our hospitals. Ah! What a dream  Implementing Choice Theory and its applications in schools takes an enormous amount of time, energy and commitment on the part of everyone in the school. Throughout the world there are schools ‘on the journey’. Some have declared as a GQS while others are working towards it. Even though a school has declared as a GQS it is still always on the journey of continuous improvement. In Australia and New Zealand we have decided to draw up a database of schools ‘on the journey’ to acknowledge and honour their efforts and give their contact details to people wanting