1. Wellbeing at the heart of Education. Miss Sienna BREEN
Positive Education
Wellbeing at the heart of Education. Miss Sienna BREEN

2. Why I have chosen this topic to research
Passionate about wellbeing
Offers a variety of teaching strategies with an aim to enhance whole- person happiness/ wellbeing
Opportunity to track wellbeing of students, staff and parents through scientifically validated measures
Equip students with life coping skills

3. Why I have chosen this topic to research
Appreciate one’s character strengths & utilise them in order to build confidence and competence in individuals
Increase positive emotions within our students and encourage them to engage their unique strengths and abilities for both personal and community gains
Positive psychology suggests that finding happiness will lead to a flourishing life of fulfilment & success

4. What is Positive Education?
A relatively new branch of psychology that conducts scientific inquiry into the factors that help individuals, communities and organisations ‘thrive’ or ‘flourish’ by building on their strengths and virtues (Peterson, 2008).
It is a worldwide movement, with many schools in Australia now focusing on student wellbeing

5. What is Positive Education?
Strengths based approach that focuses on promoting the positive states of hope, optimism, empathy, courage and gratitude so as to allow us to better handle the negative states of anxiety, insecurity, addiction, violence and sadness (depression)

6. What is Positive Education?
Positive Education assists all aspects of our life; creativity, academic, socially and emotionally. Studies suggest that explicit positive psychology programs can have the following impacts;
Academic performance (critical thinking)
Better physical health (sleep patterns)
Enhances positive emotions and navigates painful ones (anxiety, depression)
Cultivates healthy personal and professional relationships
Discover a higher purpose

7. Isn’t it all just happy pills?
Positive Psychology does not mean that you need to be happy 100% of the time. Instead, it studies the positive processes that we can use during the negative and challenging times that we all face at some point.
Positive Psychology is about building our strengths so that we can manage our sadness & weaknesses.

8. Unpacking the Geelong Grammar School model for Positive Education

9. Learn it Live it Teach it Embed it
- Training courses to kindle curiosity
- Exploring the elements of personal wellbeing
- Discovering the science of positive psychology
Live it
- Harnessing one’s character strengths in difficult situations
- Nurturing a healthy lifestyle
- Practicing habits of mindfulness
Teach it
- Fostering growth mindsets
- Focusing on effective feedback
- Promoting a sense of gratitude
Embed it
- Congruence between what is being verbalised and what is being practiced
- Wellbeing is considered & discussed in each element of the school’s co – curriculum

10. Positive Education at Port Hedland Primary School
WORK IN YEAR GROUPS
Worksheet on desks

11. Teaching Strategies to support the development of Positive Education
YouTube of the day – inspiring clip – teacher/ student chooses
Each student has personal diary/ journal to keep record of challenges, concerns & celebrations
Introduce/ concentrate on 2 character strengths per term
Wall of happiness (school ground/ classroom)

12. Useful resources to support Positive Education at PHPS
TED TALKS
APPS
Suggested Reading/s
The VIA Survey (learn your character strengths)

13. References
Geelong Grammar School
Positive Education