The Classroom of Choice: 100+ Strategies to Reach and Teach Every Learner

Tapping into students’ innate drives is the key to more empowered learning . . . and favoring choice over control is the secret to keeping students engaged and on task.

In this new edition of The Classroom of Choice, Jonathan C. Erwin expands upon his pivotal tenets of student motivation and shows teachers how to apply Choice Theory to create safer and more connected, empowered, and joyful environments for all learners, with updated research and activities to reflect diverse student populations.

It starts with motivation and trust. External motivation strategies, such as punishments and rewards, rarely inspire passion to learn. Erwin’s approach focuses on developing and leveraging students’ intrinsic motivation, which is grounded in universal human needs for

- Survival and safety.
- Love and belonging.
- Competence and empowerment.
- Autonomy and freedom.
- Fun and play.

This book provides more than 100 proven classroom activities and strategies, along with a unit planning guide you can use to create intrinsically engaging lessons or improve existing ones. You’ll also find language and a framework you can use to help students adapt their behavior in responsible and effective ways.

A learning environment that satisfies students’ basic needs not only prevents disruptive behavior but also encourages students to be fully engaged in quality learning. The Classroom of Choice will help you understand and attend to these needs, manage today’s classroom challenges more easily, and empower your students to be more successful and independent learners.