I don't believe in the pursuit of happiness

If happiness occurs while I'm producing something beneficial, then fine. But pursuing happiness for its own sake distracts from that more important component of the life well-led. I know that makes me a stick in the mud, but that's what I believe.

The Most Important Article on Education--PERIOD.

I urge you to read THIS.

How to Motivate Someone

In dealing with people with at least moderate self-esteem, you can often motivate them to do something by insisting they'll fail at it.

For more ways to get motivated see Self-Discipline in Ten Days.

Or read the free articles on overcoming procrastination on my website. When you get there, on the left menu, click on "procrastination."

Finally, an article on education that makes sense

http://vdare.com/sailer/080504_alchemists.htm

Who's Hiring? No Surprise: the Government

I'm not sure it's good news for taxpayers--government isn't the most efficient spender of your money--but it is good news for job seekers: USA Today reports government statistics that while the private sector is cutting jobs, government is hiring so vigorously, you'd think the economy was booming.

Government is the last bastion of well-paying, fully benefited jobs, rarely requiring you to work more than 40 hours a week, in which it's almost impossible to get fired--except, perhaps, if you're a white male who tells a woman she looks attractive. ;-)

Good Communication Skills Reduces to One Word

The word is courtesy:

The courtesy to talk at the right time: "Do you have a moment?"

The courtesy to speak in pleasant tones: slowly, with pauses to give people time to assimilate what you're saying, near the bottom of your pitch range, but when emphasizing a key point, increasing pitch and volume and decreasing speed.

The courtesy to be brief: 10-60 seconds per utterance. That doesn't overwhelm the listener.

The courtesy to ask permission before criticizing: "Would you mind if I offered a suggestion?"

The courtesy to criticize with minimal impact on their self-esteem: "I'm wondering if it might be a good idea to (insert suggestion). What do you think?"

Courteous communication is invaluable to enhancing your credibility and likeability.

Sorting Students is GOOD

Tracking students into high and low tracks, and having high standards for college admission are anathema to liberals.

I am liberal on a number of issues, but among my strongest-held beliefs is that the costs of not-sorting students are far greater than the costs of sorting. For example, mixing high- and low-ability kids in the same class virtually ensures that both groups often receive inappropriate-level instruction and an exhausted teacher. Metaevaluations of ability-grouping studies bear this out.

And, yes, it should be done early. The longer we wait, the greater the costs. Of course, I'm not just talking about dollar costs. I'm talking about the costs to both low- and high-achieving kids, to teachers, and importantly, to the larger society.