5 WAYS TO RAISE OPTIMISTIC CHILDREN We all enter the world convinced we can learn anything and overcome any challenge. Yet many people grow up to be underachieving pessimists, always convinced nothing ever goes right for them, failure is inevitable, and aiming high is a recipe for disaster. Blame the bad influence of mostly well-meaning, but poorly informed, adults. If you want better for your … [Read more...] about 5 WAYS TO RAISE OPTIMISTIC CHILDREN

6 WAYS TO BE AN OPTIMISTIC PARENT Are you confident that your children can look forward to happy, successful lives—or are you obsessed with fears that something terrible will happen? If the latter, you’re probably making your life, and your children’s, miserable with the black cloud of anxiety. Here are some habits for helping the sunshine of hope shine instead. 1. Reject the idea that … [Read more...] about 6 WAYS TO BE AN OPTIMISTIC PARENT

RAISING CHILDREN: HOW WELL ARE YOU WORKING YOURSELF OUT OF A JOB? Occasionally you see a letter like this in an advice column: “I’m a thirty-five-year-old married man whose mother expects me to file a daily itinerary with her, ‘drop by’ on a second’s request, and let her pay my bills. Trying to reason with her just evokes the tearful ‘after all I’ve done for you’ routine.” Such extreme cases … [Read more...] about RAISING CHILDREN: HOW WELL ARE YOU WORKING YOURSELF OUT OF A JOB?

GETTING STUDENTS OUT OF YOUR CLASS: HOW TO HELP KIDS MOVE FORWARD Wise parents make a point of working themselves out of a job: actively influencing their children to grow into mature, independent adults who don’t need “parenting.” The teacher’s mission is similar: help kids master essential skills and move on to greater challenges. Whatever your school’s grade-to-grade (or level-to-level) … [Read more...] about GETTING STUDENTS OUT OF YOUR CLASS: HOW TO HELP KIDS MOVE FORWARD

7 RULES FOR THE VIRTUAL TEACHER Whether you’re a young teacher or a mature, experienced one, chances are the recent surge in virtual learning threw some of your how-to-teach assumptions for a loop. If you’re still struggling to teach via computer, try the following tips to make things a little easier. 1. Avoid All Grumbling Don’t ever start dwelling on the “unfairness” of having to change … [Read more...] about 7 RULES FOR THE VIRTUAL TEACHER