[Ailist] How does it work?

[Alice Macpherson]

Hank

The question about bullying is one that is dear to my heart.
It seems to me, that you can identify the desired behaviours and build 
from where they occur.
Here is a story of spontaneous action back last September that seems very 
appreciative:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2007/09/21/pink-school.html?ref=rss
This has triggered other positive actions such as a province wide 
initiative last Wednesday, February 27, where everyone in schools around 
BC were invited to wear pink and to talk about ways to stop bullying.

 I have worked with self-defense for women and their children for over 35 
years. (http://wenlido.org/) Sometimes, you just need to defend yourself 
to survive. This is a reality that no amount of positive thought can 
change. The rest of the time, we work to build positive confidence and 
skills so that awareness and avoidance can be used whenever possible. 

Change needs to start with the positive. If you don't like what is 
happening you/we need to dream and design what we DO want.

All the best / todo lo mejor

Alice Macpherson
PD & PLA Coordinator
The Centre for Academic Growth
Kwantlen University College
www.kwantlen.ca/academicgrowth
604 599-3040

"Doubt is an uncomfortable condition, but certainty is a ridiculous one." 
- Voltaire, author and philosopher (1694-1778)

"La duda es una condición incómoda, pero la certeza es una ridícula." - 
Voltaire, autor y filósofo  (1694-1778)




Hank Kearns <hkearns4 at comcast.net> 
Sent by: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu
03/03/2008 12:03 PM

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[Ailist] How does it work?





I  am a retired health teachers. I have always been looking for
information to share with my students concerning mental health and
relationships. Sine I?m a ?old as dirt,? I started with Maslow and
his hierarchy concepts, that lead to Carl Rogers and his excellent
work on communication skills, followed by Albert Ellis, Timothy Beck
and Cognitive Psychology, and more recently Positive Psychology lead
by Seligman and Peterson.   Along the way I stumbled onto
Appreciative Inquiry. I tried to get my school to utilize AI concepts
in changing our school, but was not successful . I?ve been a lurker
to this list and a fan of AI for many years. Recently I have tried to
use AI in my personal life. I have no problem with the major
principles of AI, but I have to admit that I?m not convinced about
ignoring the bad.

Let me give you an example. Let?s say we are working with a school
that has a real problem with bullying. Can you ignore the physical
and emotional pain that is being inflicted while you identify the
positive and encourage it to grow? (I know I?m in trouble asking this
kind of question, but I am looking for an answer.) :)

Perhaps a less harmful situation. In your marriage your spouse is a
slob. He or she never puts things away. Besides that your spouse is
loving, supportive, and responsible at work and with your children.
They just are not very neat. Carl Rogers would say that you express
your persist feelings. You would explain that you are embarrassed
with the way your house looks, and you want him or her to take in
consideration your feelings and put things away when he or she is
done with.

I?m showing my ignorance here, but I have a problem with this.

Hank Kearns
- -
www.greydogmac.com

Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. Albert Eistein


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