| resenting these ideas at the NAREN (National | | | | students’ ideas and issues. This does not |
| At-Risk Education Network) in Wisconsin last | | | | mean that teachers must agree with their |
| week, I was asked to write an article that would | | | | students but they must at least let the students |
| be able to reach more people to spread the | | | | know that they are important. When students |
| exciting word about Dr. William Glasser’s | | | | feel listened to and respected, they don’t |
| work in the area of Quality Schools. | | | | disrespect their teachers and they tend to listen |
| There are many characteristics that are required | | | | more. |
| in order for a school to be listed as a Quality | | | | For students to have freedom, they must have |
| School. There are currently 13 such schools in the | | | | choices. They must not be bogged down in rules |
| country, with many more on their journey to | | | | and regulations. When students have choices, they |
| become Quality Schools. | | | | won’t have the need to create destructive |
| In a Quality School , relationships are based upon | | | | choices of their own. |
| trust and respect, and all discipline problems, not | | | | In school, learning should be fun. Learning is always |
| incidents, have been eliminated. Total Learning | | | | fun when the learning is useful and the students |
| Competency is stressed and an evaluation that is | | | | want to learn what is being taught. Imagine |
| below competence or what is now a "B" has been | | | | students having fun learning! Isn’t that the |
| eliminated. All schooling as defined by Dr. William | | | | dream of teachers everywhere? When your |
| Glasser has been replaced by useful education. All | | | | students are having fun, you do too. |
| students do some Quality Work each year that is | | | | I know this sounds like an impossible task but |
| significantly beyond competence. All such work | | | | there are many schools doing just that with |
| receives an "A" grade or higher, such as an "A+". | | | | training in Dr. William Glasser’s Choice |
| Students and staff are taught to use Choice | | | | Theory. Creating a need-satisfying environment is |
| Theory in their lives and in their work in school. | | | | what actually eliminates discipline problems. If |
| Parents are encouraged to participate in study | | | | someone has a legitimate, appropriate way to get |
| groups to become familiar with the ideas of Dr. | | | | his/her needs met, then there is no reason to |
| William Glasser. Students do better on state | | | | create discipline problems. |
| proficiency tests and college entrance | | | | Switching courses over to a competency-based |
| examinations. The importance of these tests is | | | | approach is critical to the Quality School concept. |
| emphasized in the school. Staff, students, parents | | | | Students are not permitted to get credit for less |
| and administrators view the school as a joyful | | | | than B work and they have opportunities to |
| place. | | | | improve their work until it meets the minimum |
| All of the above criterion must be in place to be | | | | standard for a B. Concepts are taught in such a |
| listed as a Quality School. When a school is a | | | | way that reduces the need for memorizing facts |
| Quality School, the dictates of No Child Left | | | | that can be found in any encyclopedia or text. |
| Behind take care of themselves. Now, of | | | | This and more speaks to the second condition of |
| course there will be a few children who have | | | | quality that students will only be asked to do |
| totally rejected school who are unreachable, but | | | | useful work. It is the teacher’s job to |
| for the majority, they will learn and do quality | | | | convince students that what they are being |
| work. | | | | asked to do is useful in the real world. If you are |
| The way to achieve this is to implement the | | | | successful in that endeavor, you will have willing |
| three conditions of quality. First, the school and | | | | students. Wouldn’t that make your job |
| each classroom must create an environment that | | | | more enjoyable for you? |
| will meet the needs of the students, and | | | | The final condition of quality is self-evaluation. |
| consequently of teachers. All humans are born | | | | Students are asked to grade their own work. |
| with five basic human needs. We have the need | | | | There are two essential items that must be met |
| for survival, connection/love, power, freedom and | | | | in order to get accurate self-evaluations from |
| fun/learning. This is true of students and teachers. | | | | students. First, they must have no fear that the |
| In order to help students meet their need for | | | | teacher or anyone else will hurt them with an |
| survival, the school and classroom must be safe. | | | | honest self-evaluation. Second, there must be a |
| They must feel that they won’t be hurt | | | | clear rubric in place that will give students a model |
| physically or emotionally. When students feel safe, | | | | against which to compare their own work. |
| there is no need to threaten teachers or other | | | | Self-evaluation does not replace the need of the |
| students. | | | | teacher or teacher’s aide (another student |
| In order for students to satisfy their need for | | | | already judged to be competent in that particular |
| connection/love, they must have a relationship | | | | area) from corroborating the student’s |
| with the teacher and the other students. They | | | | self-evaluation. Students are not punished for less |
| must believe that the teacher has their best | | | | than competent work. Rather they are shown |
| interest at heart. The more you give love and | | | | where their work is lacking and given the |
| connection away, the more they come back to | | | | opportunity to fix it. This, again, is a skill that is |
| you. | | | | seen everyday in the real world. Rarely do people |
| In order to satisfy a student’s need for | | | | actually lose their jobs for substandard work. |
| power, teachers must listen to and respect their | | | | They are told what is wrong and asked to fix it. |