{"id":71,"date":"2015-03-19T02:58:37","date_gmt":"2015-03-19T02:58:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/allisonharding\/?p=71"},"modified":"2015-03-19T03:03:58","modified_gmt":"2015-03-19T03:03:58","slug":"in-the-words-of-the-dalai-lama","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/allisonharding\/2015\/03\/19\/in-the-words-of-the-dalai-lama\/","title":{"rendered":"In the Words of the Dalai Lama…"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"quote-Dalai-Lama-in-order-to-carry-a-positive-action-125511\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A Positive Vision for Positive Action\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

After choosing to focus on flourishing<\/em> for my Cohort 21 Action Plan, I decided to pursue this same topic in a graduate course that I began at the end of January. I devoted a fair bit of time during the month of February to research. I set out to learn about positive education, and how flourishing can be cultivated in school communities. Referencing everything from good ol’\u00a0books to Web 2.0 technologies, I slowly began to build my understanding.<\/p>\n

I compiled my research findings into an inquiry-based paper that presents an emerging response to the question: \u201cWhat is flourishing and how can school leaders cultivate flourishing?\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve summarized some key research findings (as well as a few great resources) in a SparkNotes version of my paper, here:<\/p>\n

What is positive psychology?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

This relatively new discipline is unlike traditional psychology in that it focuses on \u201c\u2026the strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive\u201d (University of Pennsylvania, 2014, para. 2). Rather than studying what is wrong with patients, positive psychologists seek to understand and capitalize on what is right with their patients (Standela, 2012). Positive psychologists believe that \u201c\u2026strength is as important as weakness, and that it is just as important to build on the best things in life, as to repair the worst\u201d (Standela, 2012).<\/em><\/p>\n