Maria Lisa Polegatto May 2024
The fundamental goal of positive education is to promote
flourishing or positive mental health within the school community (Moore, 2024).
flourishing or positive mental health within the school community (Moore, 2024).
In the 1990’s Martin Seligman changed the process of psychology to focus on mental wellness for better coping skills and happiness instead of mental illness (Hurst 2020). Positive psychology is “the study of human flourishing” to live your best life for strength and resilience (Hurst, 2020). Positive psychology and formal education have been collaborating and building a positive education framework based on “character strengths and virtues” for “positive schools” (O’Brien, 2016).
Positive education is “a growing movement in schools” globally (Hurst 2020). The basis of positive education in the classroom is to benefit everyone – known as PERMA (positive emotion, engagement, relationship, meaning, accomplishment) including elements of “gratitude, friendship, love of learning and generosity” (Hurst 2020). PERMA allows children to think positive and incorporate positive ways of being into their life skills (Hurst 2020).
Positive psychology, while being an “innovative and expansive field” (Waters, 2021), is not without its critics as it is a “relatively new field” in the sphere of psychological discipline which is already plagued with criticism with no “quick and dirty” solution to mental wellness (van Zyl et al, 2024). As with all newly introduced fields, more research is suggested to stimulate and offer “opportunities for the discipline to grow and develop” (van Zyl et al, 2024).
Building upon the constructs of positive education can enforce stability and improve the education of teachers and students for happiness and wellbeing for all (van Zyl et al, 2024). Programs could be tailored to include current global dialogue (van Zyl et al, 2024), such as climate change, allowing students to have their voices heard to find solutions to the future they will live in. Instead of focusing on the gloom and doom of climate change, focus instead on innovation and creativity for solutions.
Every small action makes a difference and every age, gender and living being on this planet has a positive difference they can make on this planet.
Instead of “after-school programs” (van Zyl et al, 2024) that longer distance students can not always attend, these programs could be brought into the during-school hours curriculum. We have many great minds among us of every age given the ability to be creative in a team of students and teachers.
While structure is an advantage to keeping tasks in order, having the ability to freely think, innovate and be creative is like meditation. Being told what to think, read, do, learn can turn students, some more than others, against school. Imagine having those students look forward to a class where after they endure the rigor, they are then free to let their creativity build a better future for everyone and a better mindset for them in the process. Imagine a class of students and teachers discussing issues that some may not have even been privy to prior. Imagine the impact of learning alongside an Albert Einstein who is allowed to think outside the box and create.
Positive psychology, while being an “innovative and expansive field” (Waters, 2021), is not without its critics as it is a “relatively new field” in the sphere of psychological discipline which is already plagued with criticism with no “quick and dirty” solution to mental wellness (van Zyl et al, 2024). As with all newly introduced fields, more research is suggested to stimulate and offer “opportunities for the discipline to grow and develop” (van Zyl et al, 2024).
Building upon the constructs of positive education can enforce stability and improve the education of teachers and students for happiness and wellbeing for all (van Zyl et al, 2024). Programs could be tailored to include current global dialogue (van Zyl et al, 2024), such as climate change, allowing students to have their voices heard to find solutions to the future they will live in. Instead of focusing on the gloom and doom of climate change, focus instead on innovation and creativity for solutions.
Every small action makes a difference and every age, gender and living being on this planet has a positive difference they can make on this planet.
Instead of “after-school programs” (van Zyl et al, 2024) that longer distance students can not always attend, these programs could be brought into the during-school hours curriculum. We have many great minds among us of every age given the ability to be creative in a team of students and teachers.
While structure is an advantage to keeping tasks in order, having the ability to freely think, innovate and be creative is like meditation. Being told what to think, read, do, learn can turn students, some more than others, against school. Imagine having those students look forward to a class where after they endure the rigor, they are then free to let their creativity build a better future for everyone and a better mindset for them in the process. Imagine a class of students and teachers discussing issues that some may not have even been privy to prior. Imagine the impact of learning alongside an Albert Einstein who is allowed to think outside the box and create.
Education for sustainability is more than just a new curriculum. It is about
how the content and process of education can be interwoven with
real-life contexts to create opportunities for young people to take the lead
in building sustainable communities and societies. Peter Seng (O’Brien, 2016).
how the content and process of education can be interwoven with
real-life contexts to create opportunities for young people to take the lead
in building sustainable communities and societies. Peter Seng (O’Brien, 2016).
Akin to "gratitude letters" (Rahm & Heise, 2019) (O’Brien, 2016) and “systems thinking” (O’Brien, 2016), a class could write letters, poetry or do artistic representations to the United Nations addressing their concerns for the future of the planet with their solutions as a class project. Elected officials are a representative of the people and the people have a voice they can use that can give them confidence, build self esteem, a sense of purpose, exploration, and writing can relieve anxiety regarding issues. Kids write to Santa Claus and receive presents. Why not write to someone whose job it is to help make positive changes in the world.
Giving students the chance to write and work as a class at all ages can open their mindset to flourish in teamwork, confidence, respect, determination, happiness, and wellbeing (Waters, 2021). Instead of stifling creative minds, they would have the ability to let their minds flow with excitement for school (Waters, 2021).
While I was very shy as a youth, I still had determination and a strong sense of moral compass. I liked geology class because it was about the “genuine wealth” we find in nature (O’Brien, 2016) and we even took a field trip to dig for rocks. I liked history class as the teacher would act out the scenes we were learning about. I liked English class because we would have open discussions. I have used the “three good things” approach (Rahm & Heise, 2019) to promote positive thoughts among people who were having a bad day, including myself, and also started the day off with it to promote a positive attitude for a good day.
Teachers have much more to offer students than rigid curriculum. Teachers are role models to students learning how to act, react, learn, interpret, and communicate but have rigid timelines that can affect their wellbeing too (Rahm & Heise, 2019). Skills such as “teacher pedagogy is a contextual factor worth exploring in positive education” (Waters, 2021). When teachers are given avenues to foster wellbeing, students can learn better, engage more, be more confident and be more cooperative (Waters, 2021).
We need school to also teach us how to be able to solve more than math problems. And while the three R’s of education are important, we need to add more letters of the alphabet to include innovation, sustainability and creativity for solutions to global issues (R.R.R.I.S.C.).
In a world where there is so much stress and increasing anxiety in youth (O’Brien, 2013), there should be avenues for constructive pursuits of happiness and wellbeing inside of school. School is meant to teach us how to adapt to the world and life (Rahm & Heise, 2019), learn about history to not repeat the devastation, learn to communicate effectively, and grow into capable beings able to nurture ourselves, others, and the natural world. We need youth to have a mindset where they are not afraid to put forth their suggestions for a better world. With the current global negative trends, do we really have any other choice but to make a positive difference in the world?
Giving students the chance to write and work as a class at all ages can open their mindset to flourish in teamwork, confidence, respect, determination, happiness, and wellbeing (Waters, 2021). Instead of stifling creative minds, they would have the ability to let their minds flow with excitement for school (Waters, 2021).
While I was very shy as a youth, I still had determination and a strong sense of moral compass. I liked geology class because it was about the “genuine wealth” we find in nature (O’Brien, 2016) and we even took a field trip to dig for rocks. I liked history class as the teacher would act out the scenes we were learning about. I liked English class because we would have open discussions. I have used the “three good things” approach (Rahm & Heise, 2019) to promote positive thoughts among people who were having a bad day, including myself, and also started the day off with it to promote a positive attitude for a good day.
Teachers have much more to offer students than rigid curriculum. Teachers are role models to students learning how to act, react, learn, interpret, and communicate but have rigid timelines that can affect their wellbeing too (Rahm & Heise, 2019). Skills such as “teacher pedagogy is a contextual factor worth exploring in positive education” (Waters, 2021). When teachers are given avenues to foster wellbeing, students can learn better, engage more, be more confident and be more cooperative (Waters, 2021).
We need school to also teach us how to be able to solve more than math problems. And while the three R’s of education are important, we need to add more letters of the alphabet to include innovation, sustainability and creativity for solutions to global issues (R.R.R.I.S.C.).
In a world where there is so much stress and increasing anxiety in youth (O’Brien, 2013), there should be avenues for constructive pursuits of happiness and wellbeing inside of school. School is meant to teach us how to adapt to the world and life (Rahm & Heise, 2019), learn about history to not repeat the devastation, learn to communicate effectively, and grow into capable beings able to nurture ourselves, others, and the natural world. We need youth to have a mindset where they are not afraid to put forth their suggestions for a better world. With the current global negative trends, do we really have any other choice but to make a positive difference in the world?
Additional Resources
The Palgrave Handbook of Positive Education
What is Positive Education, and How Can We Apply it?
One Million Acts of Green
Earth Day Footprint Calculator
A Billion Acts of Green
Collaborative Consumption
Slow Food
The Economics of Happiness
Water Footprint Assessment Tool
What is Positive Education, and How Can We Apply it?
One Million Acts of Green
Earth Day Footprint Calculator
A Billion Acts of Green
Collaborative Consumption
Slow Food
The Economics of Happiness
Water Footprint Assessment Tool
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References
Hurst, J. (2020, Apr 27) What is positive education? | peeble. [Video]. YouTube.
Moore, C. (2024, March 13). What is positive education, and how can we
apply it? (+PDF). PositivePsychology.com.
https://positivepsychology.com/what-is-positive-education/
O’Brien, C. (2013). Who is teaching us about sustainable happiness and well-being?
Health, Culture and Society, 5(1), 292-307.
https://hcs.pitt.edu/ojs/index.php/hcs/article/view/122
O’Brien, C. (2016). Education for Sustainable Happiness and Well-Being (1st ed.). Routledge.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315630946
Rahm, T., & Heise, E. (2019). Teaching Happiness to Teachers – Development and Evaluation
of Training in Subjective Well-Being. Frontiers in Psychology, 10: 2703.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02703/full
van Zyl, L. E., Gaffaney, J., van der Vaart, L., Dik, B. J., & Donaldson, S. I. (2024). The
critiques and criticisms of positive psychology: a systematic review. The Journal
of Positive Psychology, 19(2), 206–235.
https://doi-org.cbu.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/17439760.2023.2178956
Waters, L. (2021). Positive Education Pedagogy: Shifting teacher mindsets, practice, and
language to make wellbeing visible in classrooms. In M. L. Kern & M. L. Wehmeyer
(Eds.), The Palgrave handbook of positive education, 137–164. Palgrave
Macmillan/Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64537-3_6
Moore, C. (2024, March 13). What is positive education, and how can we
apply it? (+PDF). PositivePsychology.com.
https://positivepsychology.com/what-is-positive-education/
O’Brien, C. (2013). Who is teaching us about sustainable happiness and well-being?
Health, Culture and Society, 5(1), 292-307.
https://hcs.pitt.edu/ojs/index.php/hcs/article/view/122
O’Brien, C. (2016). Education for Sustainable Happiness and Well-Being (1st ed.). Routledge.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315630946
Rahm, T., & Heise, E. (2019). Teaching Happiness to Teachers – Development and Evaluation
of Training in Subjective Well-Being. Frontiers in Psychology, 10: 2703.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02703/full
van Zyl, L. E., Gaffaney, J., van der Vaart, L., Dik, B. J., & Donaldson, S. I. (2024). The
critiques and criticisms of positive psychology: a systematic review. The Journal
of Positive Psychology, 19(2), 206–235.
https://doi-org.cbu.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/17439760.2023.2178956
Waters, L. (2021). Positive Education Pedagogy: Shifting teacher mindsets, practice, and
language to make wellbeing visible in classrooms. In M. L. Kern & M. L. Wehmeyer
(Eds.), The Palgrave handbook of positive education, 137–164. Palgrave
Macmillan/Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64537-3_6
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