In my late twenties/early thirties on occasion I would buy my wife those trashy Us magazines or something similar. It always had this “Who Wore It Better” section- the ones where two different celebrities wore the same outfit, and slapped in some obnoxious circle was some percentage of who readers thought looked better. At times I compare the students in my classroom and school to adults in my life and in our world. So instead of who wore it better, I’m asking, “Who said it worse?” or “Who acted worse?” Are these adults or children I’m talking about below? Am I talking about myself?
- She talks too often and doesn’t “monitor her air time.”
- He says things that are always in his own self-interest.
- They always take it too far. It’s funny, and then it goes a bit too far and becomes inappropriate.
- He just can’t get over the smallest slight or thing that didn’t quite go his way.
- She takes a break every five minutes and can’t stay with her work for longer periods.
I realize this sounds like a pretty pessimistic post. Though, I think I’m a teacher partly because I’m an optimist. I have a hope for a better world. I have a hope for children to have a better learning experience, a better childhood, a better life. I guess I’m hopeful that if I help the children I’m thinking of with the above comments, then they won’t grow into the adults I’m thinking of. And I’ll be writing my next post on “Who said it better?” or “Who acted better?”
MarkR's Musings 
I like the positive twist on this at the end. I wonder if you could use this idea in your classroom with your students’ writing. Or have your students take the lead on it.
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I love the connection. Self reflection is a gift. Who reflected best? Or at all…🤨
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Hope seems to be the theme of the posts I’m reading today. I wonder if the start of this new challenge has us all looking into the future with eyes full hope and enthusiasm.
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I don’t think it’s a pessimistic post. It’s you thinking and it’s great. 🙂
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Great turn-around at the end! It left me feeling uplifted and inspired. 🙂
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Yay for your first slice Mark! I remember those who wore it better spreads and this is a clever connection. Your blog name is apt- this first post definitely feels like a musing.
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I love US magazine when I was a teen–and always poured over the Who Wore It Better section. Your post makes me think about the power of shifting our perspective and reframing. We probably all have a negativity bias and notice what isn’t going right and who isn’t acting right. But I know I feel better and do better myself when I focus on what’s going right. I love the shift you’re imagining here at the end.
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I am really glad I will be reading your slices. There are many of your ideas worth thinking about as a teacher. Thanks for sharing the hope you have for children.
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