Mipper Rogers

PBS, though, hopes that Mr. Rogers will live on for children — online. Last month, PBS began streaming full-length episodes of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” on both its Rogers site and its PBSKids site. “We think about Fred every single day,” said Lesli Rotenberg, senior vice president for children’s media at PBS. “The PBSKids site is based on a philosophy that I think he pioneered of looking at the whole child.”

via www.nytimes.com

When I was little I would sit on the couch every evening to watch Mipper Rogers — that’s what I called him. Almost everything I know about interpersonal behavior can be traced to his lessons. The fact that his reruns aren’t shown on any of the channels I get is a crime. Am I being too nostalgic or is there nothing like him around today? Read the NYTimes piece and make sure you watch the video below (even though I’ve linked it before) … if you care about people and education it makes you smile. Even if it makes me a hippy.

I Live in a Van Down by Duke University

It would be nice. A middle-class family might think it would be nice to have an in-ground swimming pool. A millionaire might think it would be nice to have a yacht. The billionaire, a private jet. Someone, somewhere might think it would be nice to have food to feed her family tonight. Someone, somewhere might think it would be nice to live in a van in order to afford to go to a wonderful school. I could begin satisfying my desires and buying comforts, but I’ve learned to appreciate what little I have instead of longing for what I do not.

via www.salon.com

I saw this posted by my friend and colleague Brad Kozlek and found it a wonderful read. Its a great story of how one student decided education was worth more than an iPod, heat, and the debt it takes to get it.