I took a look at the Positive Psychology website. The information reinforced the importance of building positive, trusting relationships with our students. We need to respect them as human beings without judgements. This will help foster a learning environment where students feel safe and can open-up about their feelings. If students feel valued and welcomed, they will be more likely to have positive self-worth, build their self-esteem and work towards their full potential. I thought the section on self-determination was very interesting. Instead of chiding behavior that can be destructive, we should focus on individuals' feelings, be selective in our choice of words and help guide students in taking responsibility and choosing their own path. My brother is a child psychiatrist who works at ECMC. I would love to hear his experience with unconditional positive regard and if this approach has been successful with his patients. As a parent, this website reinforced the idea of unconditional love that we have for our children.
