Wellbeing in Schools: Positive Education and Mindfulness

Course description

During the course, you will learn how to integrate Positive education in your lessons and in the school environment. Positive Education is the new holistic educational paradigm inspired by Positive Psychology principles and Mindfulness practice, which focuses on wellbeing and awareness throughout the learning process.

This course will also help you create a positive approach and balance in your own life. You will learn how to facilitate happiness skills in your life and in your students – such as creating positive relationships, building positive emotions, enhancing engagement, increasing personal resilience, and practicing your strengths to find deeper meaning in life. Also, you will learn how to promote Mindfulness practice to increase self-awareness and empathy, connect with the present moment, achieve goals, and cope with stress.

All the practical activities and the meditation proposed are suitable for use in classrooms, meetings, as well as in teachers’ private lives.

Course structure

 Topic 1: Positive Psychology, Positive Education, Mindfulness (2 activities)

In this Module, you will learn the benefits of happiness on health and education and learn skills that you can practice and teach to your students and share with your colleagues. During this Module, you will also learn about the new educational paradigm, Positive education, inspired by Positive Psychology principles and Mindfulness practice. Discover Martin Seligman’s PERMA Model for wellbeing, and the 24 Character Strengths Model.

Topic 2: Positive emotions (3 activities)

In this Module, you will learn about the first element of the PERMA Model, Positive emotions. You will learn, reflect and practice positive emotions vocabulary, and how to boost positive emotions in your class and in your life.

Topic 3: Engagement (1 activity)

In this Module, you will learn about the second element of the PERMA Model, Engagement. You will learn, reflect, and practice how to be aware of your present moment, in a flow state in your class and in your life.

Topic 4: Positive Relationships (2 activities)

In this Module, you will learn about the third element of the PERMA Model, Positive relationships. You will learn, reflect, and practice how to boost positive relationships working on Active constructive responding, High-Quality Connections, and the practice of Gratitude.

Topic 5: Meaning (2 activities)

In this Module, you will learn about the fourth element of the PERMA Model, Meaning. You will learn, reflect, and practice how to foster meaning and values in life and in school.

Topic 6: Accomplishment (1 activity)

In this Module, you will learn about the fifth element of the PERMA Model, Accomplishment. You will learn about the growth mindset, SMART objectives, and praise and reflect and practice on the importance of being aware of accomplishment in life and in education.

Topic 7: The 24 Character Strengths (2 activities)

In this Module, you will learn about the importance of being aware of personal strengths, with an introduction to the VIA Character Survey. You will be invited to participate in different activities that you can replicate in your classroom as well.

Topic 8: Conclusions