User Assessments of Glasser-Based Behavioral Management Inservice Programs for Teachers

Abstract

The problem: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a course which has a foundation based upon Reality Therapy/Control Theory impacts classroom teachers’ perceived effectiveness in responding to disruptive behavior in the classroom. Procedures: Data was collected for this study using a survey with three groups of teachers who had completed courses in behavior management based on Reality Therapy/Control Theory. In addition, each teacher’s building administrator also completed a survey. The survey groups included: (a) teachers who had received training via a video education course offered through Drake University, (b) a course called “Care to Discipline/Discipline with Care” through an Area Education Agency or (c) a year-long course offered to an elementary school staff. All three groups of teachers had implemented the techniques of Reality Therapy in their classrooms for at least one year. Building administrators were also surveyed regarding their perception of the teachers’ effectiveness with students’ disruptive behavior. Findings: The findings from this data clearly indicate that Glasser’s Reality Therapy/Control Theory is an effective foundation on which to build a proactive discipline program. Data indicate the majority of the teachers involved in this study felt more confident about their disciplinary skills, student attendance improved, and they felt more confident about their ability to develop their own proactive discipline program. Conclusions: This study indicates that teachers who have received inservicing with a foundation based on Reality Therapy/Control Theory have more confidence in dealing with students who have disruptive behaviors. In addition, teachers in this study and their building administrators noted improvement in student behavior and attendance. Recommendations: Parents, teachers, and administrators have reported in the past 10 annual Gallup polls that discipline problems in schools concern them the most (Gallup, 1998). Research finds there are a variety of behavior management strategies that have proven to be.