Practical Benefits of The Glasser Quality School Model Approach
Format
Individual Presentation
First Presenter's Institution
Slippery Rock University
First Presenter’s Email Address
jane.hale@sru.edu
First Presenter's Brief Biography
Jane V. Hale is an Associate Professor in the Department of Counseling and Development at Slippery Rock University where she coordinates the School Counseling Program and also teaches in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. Dr. Hale has an extensive resume of practitioner experience in both the mental health and school counseling fields. She has worked as a therapist in a family-based program, started a private practice specializing in the treatment of adolescents and families, was a professional school counselor at the elementary school level, and provided counseling services to students in a public special education school. Dr. Hale holds certification as a k-12 school counselor and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Pennsylvania. She is certified in Choice Theory and Reality Therapy through the Glasser Institute for Choice Theory and infuses the principles into her counseling, teaching, and supervisory roles.
Location
Session Seven
Strand #1
Health: Mental & Physical Health
Strand #2
Heart: Social & Emotional Skills
Relevance
The Glasser Quality School (GQS) Model can be connected to the Health strand because it aids in having a positive impact on mental health for all children and youth. The presenter plans to teach the audience about the GQS Model and discuss relevant ways that components can be applied to school settings to increase the attainment of the basic needs of love and belonging, fun, freedom, power, and survival.
The presentation can also be connected to The Heart Strand because the GQS approach seeks to improve relationships and help students feel more connected, which improves the social climate. Healthy and meaningful relationship development is a cornerstone of the Glasser Quality School Model.
Brief Program Description
Participants will learn about the Glasser Quality School (GQS) Model and how basic concepts of choice theory and reality therapy can be incorporated into the school setting to improve mental health. The use of strategies such as incorporating Caring Habits versus Deadly Habits and WDEP will be identified and explored.
Summary
Dr. William Glasser argued that the traditional system of managing students and delivering information was the source of problems in schools (Glasser, 1990). He wrote about eliminating coercion and increasing internal control through creating a learning environment that would be need-satisfying to students, teachers, administrators, parents, and the community. Glasser wrote extensively about the importance of eliminating coercion in all relationships, noting that it is our attempts to control others that is at the source of virtually all relationship problems (1998). Glasser explained that the use of what he called Deadly Habits (i.e. criticizing, blaming, complaining, nagging, threatening, punishing, and bribing or rewarding to control) are toxic to relationships, and yet these behaviors are indicative of the ways we interact with others in the hope that somehow things will improve. Glasser proposed that utilizing Caring Habits instead (i.e. supporting, encouraging, listening, accepting, trusting, respecting, and negotiating differences) is necessary for eliminating coercion and improving relationships in school and in life in general.
The basic premise of the GQS Model is that children learn best when they are engaged in need satisfying relationships and positive relationships exist between all involved school officials and constituents. The concept of lead management rather than boss management is incorporated in GQS’s and leads to an increase in developing need fulfilling relationships. Punitive methods of coercion are not part of the GQS for students and for staff; rather, methods of instruction and leadership that focus on gaining internal control are utilized (Wubbolding, 2007). Schools can choose to become certified as Glasser Quality Schools by following five criteria that are evaluated by a four-point rubric and reviewed by trained staff from the William Glasser Institute. Even if a school does not fully immerse itself into the process of becoming a certified Glasser Quality School, many components of the model can be implemented into school curriculum and approaches.
This presentation will explain the GQS Model approach and highlight the components that can be adapted for use in school systems to eliminate coercion, increase need-attainment, and increase the overall well-being of all staff and students.
Evidence
The GQS Model was created by Dr. William Glasser to remove external control methods of educating students and incorporate the basic components of choice theory and reality therapy into education (Glasser, 1990). Since the inception of the model, extensive research has been done to show the effectiveness of Dr. Glasser’s approach to education. Dr. Glasser created choice theory and reality therapy, which have been extensively studied and applied to counseling, education, supervision, and management (Glasser, 1990).
Glasser, W. (1990). The quality school. New York: HarperCollins.
Wubbolding, R.E. (2007). Glasser quality school. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research and Practice, 11(4), 253-261.
Learning Objective 1
Have a basic understanding of the components of the Glasser Quality School Model
Learning Objective 2
Use the framework of choice theory to understand how students, yourself, and other staff may or may not be getting their needs met in healthy ways
Learning Objective 3
Identify strategies to eliminate coercion and improve relationships in the school setting. (Caring Habits, WDEP, Need Attainment)
Keyword Descriptors
Choice Theory, Reality Therapy, Social Climate, Relationships, Intrinsic Motivation
Presentation Year
2024
Start Date
3-5-2024 2:15 PM
End Date
3-5-2024 2:45 PM
Recommended Citation
Hale, Jane V., "Practical Benefits of The Glasser Quality School Model Approach" (2024). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 73.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2024/2024/73
Practical Benefits of The Glasser Quality School Model Approach
Session Seven
Participants will learn about the Glasser Quality School (GQS) Model and how basic concepts of choice theory and reality therapy can be incorporated into the school setting to improve mental health. The use of strategies such as incorporating Caring Habits versus Deadly Habits and WDEP will be identified and explored.