Choice Theory

The language we use to describe a difficulty can either become the final barrier or the first positive step towards a solution. By using the language of Need, we can avoid becoming trapped in the language of helplessness, blame and excuses. In…

A couple of years ago I read that binge drinkers in Hertfordshire were being offered the chance to reduce their fines in exchange for a place on an alcohol re-education course. I work in Hertfordshire schools and recently took the…

All our emotions are indicators of our body’s chemical balance. Finding ways of being in control of that balance puts us more in charge of our emotions. All Behaviour is Organic In a recent conversation, a Head Teacher told me that the…

Before we even get to know a child, we know certain things about them: their innate needs. All humans have a predictable group of needs, rather like our own personal “factory setting”. It is most obvious that we all have…

We may unwittingly be teaching our pupils that conformity leads to successful learning. Teacher and pupil roles need to move with the times, but this won’t happen without serious debate in the schools. Even before children start school, they have…

This post explains how the therapeutic use of choice-giving can be introduced to empower, rather than control, children. Purpose of choice-giving is often misunderstood Children do not naturally understand why they behave the way they do and they need to…