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The Christmas season always presents a bit of a dichotomy. Musical Christmas classics that are on repeat tell us it is the “hap- happiest season of all.” Yet, the chaotic flurry of stressed, impatient shoppers in malls and grocery stores leading up to December 25th (and shortly thereafter), suggests otherwise.
This Christmas – after being sent a link to a popular and provocative TedTalk by Shawn Achor on positive psychology – I’m pausing to reflect on happiness.
In his talk, Achor posits:
If you can raise somebody’s level of positivity in the present, then their brain experiences what we now call a happiness advantage, which is your brain at positive performs significantly better than it does at negative, neutral or stressed. Your intelligence rises, your creativity rises, your energy levels rise… If we can find a way of becoming positive in the present, then our brains work even more successfully as we’re able to work harder, faster and more intelligently… Because dopamine, which floods into your system when you’re positive, has two functions. Not only does it make you happier, it turns on all of the learning centers in your brain allowing you to adapt to the world in a different way.
If this is true, I cannot imagine a more important task for an educator than to foster happiness in schools, such that students experience the happiness advantage. If happiness is achieved, surely the other key objectives of education will follow. The question is… how do we do it?
What practical strategies can teachers employ to practice positive education?
How can teachers help students to flourish?
Is it possible to measure happiness (and its impact)?
While I do yet have a precise action plan in place, I know that these are the questions that will drive my inquiry and planning forward.
Next steps? A little holiday reading (“Flourish” by Martin Seligman), and Twitter-stalking (#positivepsychology). Any other suggestions are welcomed and most certainly appreciated!
Happy Holidays!
Hi Allison,
Great post and a good reminder about the importance of the start of a lesson — the hook, the mental set, whatever you want to call it — as being a time to set both the context of learning (which existing pieces of knowledge to activate in anticipation of new learning) but also to create the context for learning (that learning environment which has all the right chemicals supporting it).
Looking forward to hearing more about your experience implementing ideas that come from the field of positive psychology and the happiness advantage.
Thank you, Adam!
Hey Allison!
I too am mildly obsessed with positive psychology. I keep asking myself (especially on the hard days of teaching): “what is the point of school?” and time and time again, the best answer I come up with is that school is there to help students realize their fullest potential. And this, I think, is where positive psychology plays a role.
Some possible useful places to explore:
Canadian Positive Psychology Association (check out their readings page): http://www.positivepsychologycanada.com/
Character’s Strengths (exploring / engaging students in work that leverages their character strengths as a way to get towards lasting fulfillment): http://www.viacharacter.org/www/Character-Strengths/VIA-Classification
Thank you for these great links, Celeste!
I actually took the VIA character survey myself a couple months ago – it was really interesting! I’ve been considering having my students take the survey as well… I think it could lead to some pretty interesting discussions and reflections.
Hi Allison,
I discovered this talk a few years back, but it is something I always play, either to myself or with others. It is incredibly powerful, and I love how Shawn Achor emphasizes that the lack of illness or sadness is NOT happiness.
Our Grade 7 English classes are focussing an entire unit on the study of happiness, and I’m looking forward to seeing what they produce! If you want to connect with one of the teachers, just let me know!
In the meantime, here are some other resources on positive psych and happiness in general:
a. Happy, the movie: http://www.thehappymovie.com/
b. Happiness in the News: Letter to Student from Teacher: “Class is happier when you’re absent”: http://www.koat.com/news/teachers-letter-to-student-class-happier-when-yourre-absent/29292686
c. Lesson plan on Happiness in the Digital/Advertising era: http://mediasmarts.ca/sites/mediasmarts/files/pdfs/lesson-plan/Lesson_Price_of_Happiness.pdf
Garth – thank you for these resources!
I would really love to connect with one of the Gr. 7 teachers at BVG to hear more about this unit. I hadn’t considered the idea of explicitly teaching about happiness, but I think it’d be awesome. Why not teach a unit on happiness? I think the students would love it!
Hey Allison,
What a great post! Have you looked at @dneville ‘s post on mindfulness? It’s so funny to think that some teachers get so wrapped in their course content that they forget they teach students first and foremost and your post brings that to the forefront.
Thank you for a great reminder and for excellent resources to explore!
I look forward to hearing about your journey and to see what the Gr.7s at BVG are doing as well.
Thanks so much Derek!
Yes, I did read @dneville ‘s post on mindfulness – it was great! And it definitely connects to positive psychology – it’s given me some more to think about.
See you on Friday!