At Home with the Mavericks: Student and Teacher Perspectives of the Transformative Potential of Glasser’s Choice Theory at an Alternative Secondary School

Abstract

This study uses a framework of transformative learning theory to explore fourteen participants’ experiences with learning William Glasser’s Choice Theory. The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with students, staff and alumni of an alternative secondary school in order to explore their perspectives on the transformative potential of a local option course based on Choice Theory. Findings point to Choice Theory having a positive influence on experiences of personal transformation and increased empathy among participants including changes to habits of mind, frames of reference and reworking of meaning schemes and perspectives. Participants also communicated the importance of learning the language of Choice Theory and of being embedded within a shared community of practice around the techniques and theory of Choice Theory to achieving and maintaining a mindset of transformation.