New PCT Text on Discipline Methods

[From Rick Marken (2006.11.19.1015)]

I discovered the best book ever on PCT-based discipline methods. It's beautifully written and presents the PCT view with aplomb. And, most amazingly, it was written in 1661 by a Frenchman named Jean Baptiste Poquelin, better known now, perhaps, as Moliere. It's called _School for Husbands_ and I read it aloud last night with some friends. It's even written in rhymed couplets. The author called his PCT based program "liberalism" which is what I always thought was the best way to characterize the PST approach to discipline. I plan to use this book in my course on PCT! I highly recommend it, especially to those interested in the application of PCT in education.

Best

Rick

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Richard S. Marken Consulting
marken@mindreadings.com
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[from Gary Cziko 2006.11.19 19:17 GMT]

The School for Husbands can be found online in English at:
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/lookup?num=6742

–Gary

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On 11/19/06, Rick Marken marken@mindreadings.com wrote:

[From Rick Marken (2006.11.19.1015)]

I discovered the best book ever on PCT-based discipline methods. It’s
beautifully written and presents the PCT view with aplomb. And, most
amazingly, it was written in 1661 by a Frenchman named Jean Baptiste

Poquelin, better known now, perhaps, as Moliere. It’s called School
for Husbands
and I read it aloud last night with some friends. It’s
even written in rhymed couplets. The author called his PCT based
program “liberalism” which is what I always thought was the best way to

characterize the PST approach to discipline. I plan to use this book in
my course on PCT! I highly recommend it, especially to those interested
in the application of PCT in education.

Best

Rick


Richard S. Marken Consulting
marken@mindreadings.com
Home 310 474-0313
Cell 310 729-1400

[From Rick Marken (2006.11.19.1220)

Gary Cziko (2006.11.19 19:17 GMT)

The School for Husbands can be found online in English at:
The School for Husbands from Project Gutenberg

It's not in rhymed couplets but 'twill serve;-)

Thanks.

Rick

PS. Did you get the paper I sent?

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Richard S. Marken Consulting
marken@mindreadings.com
Home 310 474-0313
Cell 310 729-1400

[From Rick Marken (2006.11.20.1610)]

Bill Powers (2006.11.20.0950 MST)]

Rick Marken (2006.11.19.1015) --

(with thanks to Gary Cziko for finding the text in Project Gutenberg)

I discovered the best book ever on PCT-based discipline methods. It's beautifully written and presents the PCT view with aplomb. And, most amazingly, it was written in 1661 by a Frenchman named Jean Baptiste Poquelin, better known now, perhaps, as Moliere. It's called _School for Husbands_ and I read it aloud last night with some friends. It's even written in rhymed couplets. The author called his PCT based program "liberalism" which is what I always thought was the best way to characterize the PST approach to discipline. I plan to use this book in my course on PCT! I highly recommend it, especially to those interested in the application of PCT in education.

Molier's thinking was not, of course, based on the theory that all behavior is control behavior. Indeed, he seemed to think that only women's behavior and that of fops was justifiable control behavior, and that men who behaved in ways that others consider unfashionable and behind the times (Sganarelle) deserve to be deceived, made fools of, and generally manipulated so others may achieve their own hearts' desires.

Gee, I didn't pick that up at all. What I read was a play about two brothers who had rather different ideas about the proper way to raise their wards. One (Sganarelle ) thought that controlling the behavior of his charge was essential and the other (forgot the name) thought it was important to treat his ward with respect. The fact that the brothers were men and that the wards were women seemed basically irrelevant to me. I don't think the play endorsed making fools of people who have unfashionable ideas; it showed (in a VERY funny way) the likely consequences of dealing with people (as Sganarelle dealt with his ward) as objects to be controlled. The consequence is likely to be that the object of control will do whatever he or she can to evade that controlling.

Perhaps Molier (better known to some, apparently, as Jean Baptiste Poquelin) was more suble than may at first appear.

I guess literature is like discipline programs: we make of it what we want;-)

Best

Rick

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