RattleBag and Rhubarb

Gratitude and Toxic Positivity

I wrote this bit of a rant in late 2018. It’s time for it to have a public airing. And then time for a pandemic era update.  “Have a nice day” Perhaps the most reasonable and polite response is: “Thanks but I have other plans.” The positive psychology industry acquired a loud new division in the last few years. Moving…

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Education, RattleBag and Rhubarb

Mind the Learning Gap

“Once upon a time there was a mindless little girl named Little Red Riding Hood “ So begins Ellen Langer’s introduction to her delightful The Power of Mindful Learning.  Long before the word  was the trend du jour in education there was Ellen Langer’s Mindfulness (1990) and then The Power of Mindful Learning (1997). Her initial example – the tale of Little…

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