Synthesizing Pedagogy and Positive Psychology: An Educator's

Approach to Positive Education

By Nicholas Thornley

Research Questions

(1) What skills are scientifically proven to increase happiness?(2) What methods for goal setting are proven to lead to greater happiness?(3) What habits are scientifically proven to increase happiness?

The State of Education in the US(1) What benefit could come from such enormous increases in average years in the classroom? (2) With revolutions in Education, Technology, Medicine, etc., what changes in quality of life and average wellbeing would you expect?

(Bauman & Graf, 2003)

The State of Happiness in the US

(Easterlin, 2005)

(Taylor, Funk, & Craighill, 2006)

What is the Causal Relationship?Education consistently correlates with happiness, but does education cause happiness?

  (Lyubomirsky, King, & Diener, 2005)

(Taylor, Funk, & Craighill, 2006)

Rigor and Relevance

 

In other words, a relevant education is one that aligns it's objectives with life objectives...

Happiness is a major aim of life (Diener, 2000)

http://www.leadered.com/rrr.html

Beyond Heuristics and Anecdotes"If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things." - Einstein

"Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." - Lincoln

http://blog.h34dup.com/?p=1559

http://www.moritzresl.net/shop/life.html

http://www.ict.griffith.edu.au/~davidt/self-actualisation.htm

Positive correlates with happiness

  • More successful• More creative• Stronger social relationships• More resourceful• Healthier • Greater financial success and

stability

...Things we want for our children and our students

Planning Goals and Affective Forecasting

1. Hedonic Treadmill2. Problems with Affective Forecasting3. Importance of Type of Goal4. Forecasting and Foreknowledge    (a) Journal    (b) Surrogation

Diener, Ed; Lucas, Richard E.; Scollon, Christie Napa American Psychologist, Vol 61(4), May-Jun 2006, 305-314

"autonomy, competence, or relatedness"

Expressive Writing-It's all good

Time:

30 minutes / Single Session20 minutes / Four Sessions20 minutes / Three Sessions2 minutes / Two Sessions

Content: Real TraumaImaginary TraumaBest Possible SelfIntensely Positive Experiences

Result:

Short term v. Long termHealth benefits and SWB

Gratitude

Seligman, Steen, Park, & Peterson 2005

Seemingly Significant Factors For Three Good Things• Frequency• Buy-in• Long-term

Mindfulness1. 46.9% not "mindful"2. Those not mindful less happy regardless of task -Killingsworth & Gilbert, 2010

1. Integrative Body-Mind Training2. Mindfulness-Based Stress ReductionCommon theme: Non-judgmental re-focusing on present

Benefits found:Lower anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue, and the stress-related cortisol (Tang et al., 2007) After just 11 hours, greater efficiency of white matter in anterior cingulate cortex which is important for self-regulation (Tang et al., in press)

Money

   How valuable is money?...It helps, but not asmuch as we thought.

Kahneman & Deaton, 2010

Physical Attractiveness

 

Diener, Wolsic, & Fujita 1995

Savoring

Significantly correlate withPA:

(1) Being Present(2) Positive MTT(3) Distraction

Quoidbach, Berry, Hansenne, & Mikolajczak 2010

Conclusion

Teacher considerations: (1) Application in classroom v. communication of findings(2) Student buy-in and internal motivation    -Respect and concern for each student(3) Attention to impact of IVs in classroom context

Research Questions:(1) What skills are scientifically proven to increase happiness?(2) What methods for goal setting are proven to lead to greater happiness?(3) What habits are scientifically proven to increase happiness? Answers...

References

Images:http://blog.h34dup.com/?p=1559http://www.moritzresl.net/shop/life.html http://www.ict.griffith.edu.au/~davidt/self-actualisation.htmhttp://serendipitygreenwich.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/AM10_BOOKS_04.jpghttp://moneychangesthings.blogspot.com/2007/12/my-favorite-cartoon-dalai-llamas.htmlhttp://www.truepotentialcoaching.org/savoring-life-1-1-11-2http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-658026-savoring-the-aroma.phphttp://positivepsychologynews.com/news/emiliya-zhivotovskaya/200902131518http://www.opposingviews.com/i/don-t-pig-out-slow-down-and-savor-thanksgiving