So far the teachers have talked about choice in terms of
curriculum, but choice can also, surprisingly, come into play in
relation to discipline. In her first years of teaching, Julie,
like just about every other teacher, would confront students
sitting near each other who either were having too good a time
socializing or were fighting. In either case, she would separate
them by sending one to another part of the classroom. Not
anymore. Now she says, “One of you needs to move. You decide.” It
is less stressful to her and focuses the students on what they
need to do to regain control. And if students require more
serious discipline, Julie again usually offers them choices:
“They could be two ‘bad’ choices; for example, one of them might
be to go to the principal’s office and the other to stay in a
specific teacher’s room. But if they have a choice, they’ll pick
one; they take ownership.”