Classroom Focus: Developing Students’ ability to choose wisely

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Choice Theory simply says that a purpose underlies all behavior. We are doing the best we can to meet our basic human needs given the knowledge, the skills, and the resources in our repertoire of behaviors. If we could think of a better way of achieving this purpose at any given time, we would choose it.

When students learn and start using the ideas of Choice Theory in their lives, everyone benefits. Students learn these ideas easily and readily because they can relate to them. Choice Theory is all about their lives.

Some of the benefits of teaching this theory to students include the following:

  • Students gain an understanding of themselves. A student's understanding of his personal needs profiles may help him gain a better understanding of his unique identity, in turn helping him make important life decisions such as what occupation best suits him.

  • Students gain an understanding of others. This appreciation can help students learn tolerance of and compassion for others in our increasingly diverse society.

  • Students will learn they are responsible for their behavior. This concept is one that can help students learn early on that they are the masters of their destiny. Frequently discussing behavior in these terms enables students to examine the effectiveness of the choices they make.

  • Students will have the resources to build and maintain relationships. Students nurture rather than destroy the important relationships in their lives.

  • Students will be able to develop productive habits of mind. These are skills such as restraining impulsivity, planning effectively, self-evaluating, delaying gratification, maintaining an open mind, persevering, monitoring one's thoughts, and managing stress.



See: Classroom of Choice by Jonathan C. Erwin (2004)

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