Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Optimism/pessimism

We stay in the same vein with an essay contest winner.
(It seems happynews.com is like goodnewsnetwork, but it has a bigger output. You may recall I've been saying that I'd keep more informed when a news outlet appeared which was not relentlessly depressing. I'll give this one a shot.)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like this one better than the one you linked to yesterday.

This one looks more usable as a news service and also ... happier :-).

In general it's nice to see these kinds of services are popping up. Maybe we are learning.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

I really, really think we are.

laurie said...

I work in a behavor-management classroom in a public school -- kindergarten and 1st graders. The trend in behavior management techniques is definitetly toward the positive, nurturing. We are taught to word everything positively. Instead of a "Time Out Chair" there is a "Better Choice Chair." We give 5 praises (I see you are sitting the way a writer sits) for every 1 "command" (please put your feet on the floor). We never say "Stop doing _____!" We simply notice what they are doing well. One thing we the teacher and I are finding however: the children with greatest needs (They just arent' getting it, continually acting out in dangerous ways) ALSO need firm boundaries, procedures, spelled out rules, not just praise for what they ARE doing right. So we are adding back in, rules. They need these firm guidelines. We say, "Make a better choice. Control your body. There is absolutely no hitting on the playground. If you hit we will have to bring you where you can be safe." Most other kids get it with the praises, hugs and love. Some don't.

laurie said...

Sorry, I know this only indirectly relates to the blog topic :)

Anonymous said...

Signalroom said...
"Sorry, I know this only indirectly relates to the blog topic"


Yes, you should apologize. You've just made me reflect upon my own educational methods, which is quite a feat since I already reflected so much on my own. Now I might just become an even better uncle, and it's all your fault.
"I hope you'll think very hard about what you did, lil' missie!" ;-)