Positive Education at GSLC Activities to explore character strengths at home

Transcription

1 Positive Education at GSLC Activities to explore character strengths at home Parents of students in Years 6-12 can model and encourage their children by completing the VIA survey and sharing their responses to these questions. Go to login and complete the free online survey (there is both an Adult and Youth version; both are valid and reliable tools which produce the same reports). The important thing in discussing character strengths is to use a common language to describe strengths and become more aware of their influence in your lives. You may find some of the following activities useful in achieving this. Exploring strengths Consider a person well known to you, a figure from history, movie character or even superhero...what character strengths do they exhibit (use the character strengths language)? How do your Signature Strengths (top 5) compare to what you may have predicted? Do your family or friends agree with how your list turned out? List 5 things that you enjoy doing activities that make you energized and successful. Which strength do you think is most evident in performing this activity (there is no right or wrong answer here just what you think is the best response)? What is your VIA ranking on this strength (1 24). What I like Which strength is used My VIA ranking e.g. One hour walk in the morning Self-regulation 2 List 5 things that you don t particularly enjoy doing. Which strength do you think is most evident in performing this activity (there is no right or wrong answer here just what you think is the best response)? What is your VIA ranking on this strength (1 24). What I don t like Which strength is used My VIA ranking e.g. meeting new people Social intelligence 16

2 Upsides and downsides of your strengths? What are the positive impacts of your strength/s in your life? e.g., on health, education, relationships, etc. What are the potential downsides of your strengths (when is using or overusing a strength not good)? Reflecting on strengths used in life and at school What are their top character strengths? How do they use these strengths in the classroom? How do they use these strengths when working with your teachers? How do they use these strengths with their friends? How do they use these character strengths at home? Comparing the Signature Strengths (top 5) of your family Display your family s strengths in a prominent place (e.g. the fridge door) What strengths are shared? Which individuals are most different? Talk about the situations where your diversity of character strengths helps you to work well together. Are there situations where you can turn up a strength to get a better result? Can you identify situations where your strengths may clash? Are there times where the overuse of a strength may cause problems and it needs to be turned down? Look for opportunities to make better use of the strengths in your family. Strengths in Action Attempt to use your strengths in a least one new way this week, and reflect and write about your experience: How did you feel before, during and afterwards? How challenging or easy was the activity? Did you notice how quickly time passed? What was your sense of self-consciousness? Is this worth repeating? Strengths and Success Link Notice any successes throughout the week, and reflect on the extent to which might be related expression of a strength/s.

3 The VIA Classification of Character Strengths Strengths of Wisdom and Knowledge: Cognitive strengths that entail the acquisition and use of knowledge 1. Creativity [originality, ingenuity]: Thinking of novel and productive ways to conceptualize and do things. 2. Curiosity [interest, novelty-seeking, openness to experience]: Taking an interest in ongoing experience for its own sake; exploring and discovering. 3. Open-mindedness [judgment, critical thinking]: Thinking things through and examining them from all sides; weighing all evidence fairly. 4. Love of learning: Mastering new skills, topics, and bodies of knowledge, whether on one's own or formally. 5. Perspective [wisdom]: Being able to provide wise counsel to others; having ways of looking at the world that make sense to oneself and to other people. Strengths of Courage: Emotional strengths that involve the exercise of will to accomplish goals in the face of opposition, external and internal 6. Bravery [valour]: Not shrinking from threat, challenge, difficulty, or pain; acting on convictions even if unpopular. 7. Persistence [perseverance, industriousness]: Finishing what one starts; persisting in a course of action in spite of obstacles. 8. Integrity [authenticity, honesty]: Presenting oneself in a genuine way; taking responsibility for one's feeling and actions. 9. Vitality [zest, enthusiasm, vigour, energy]: Approaching life with excitement and energy; feeling alive and activated. Strengths of Humanity: interpersonal strengths that involve tending and befriending others 10. Love: Valuing close relations with others, in particular those in which sharing and caring are reciprocated. 11. Kindness [generosity, nurturance, care, compassion, altruistic love, "niceness"]: Doing favours and good deeds for others. 12. Social intelligence [emotional intelligence, personal intelligence]: Being aware of the motives and feelings of other people and oneself.

4 Strengths of Justice: civic strengths that underlie healthy community life 13. Citizenship [social responsibility, loyalty, teamwork]: Working well as a member of a group or team; being loyal to the group. 14. Fairness: Treating all people the same according to notions of fairness and justice; not letting personal feelings bias decisions about others. 15. Leadership: Encouraging a group of which one is a member to get things done and at the same maintain time good relations within the group. Strengths of Temperance: strengths that protect against excess 16. Forgiveness and mercy: Forgiving those who have done wrong; accepting the shortcomings of others; giving people a second chance; not being vengeful. 17. Humility / Modesty: Letting one's accomplishments speak for themselves; not regarding oneself as more special than one is. 18. Prudence: Being careful about one's choices; not taking undue risks; not saying or doing things that might later be regretted. 19. Self-regulation [self-control]: Regulating what one feels and does; being disciplined; controlling one's appetites and emotions. Strengths of Transcendence: strengths that forge connections to the larger universe and provide meaning 20. Appreciation of beauty and excellence [awe, wonder, elevation]: Appreciating beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in various domains of life. 21. Gratitude: Being aware of and thankful of the good things that happen; taking time to express thanks. 22. Hope [optimism, future-mindedness, future orientation]: Expecting the best in the future and working to achieve it. 23. Humour [playfulness]: Liking to laugh and tease; bringing smiles to other people; seeing the light side. 24. Spirituality [religiousness, faith, purpose]: Having coherent beliefs about the higher purpose, the meaning of life, and the meaning of the universe.

5 The IB Learner Profile IB learners strive to be: Inquirers They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives. Knowledgeable They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire indepth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines. Thinkers They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions. Communicators They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others. Principled They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them. Open-minded They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience. Caring They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment. Risk-takers They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs. Balanced They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal wellbeing for themselves and others. Reflective They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

6 The IB-PYP attitudes In PYP schools, students should demonstrate: Appreciation Appreciating the wonder and beauty of the world and its people. Commitment Being committed to their own learning, persevering and showing self-discipline and responsibility. Confidence Feeling confident in their ability as learners, having the courage to take risks, applying what they have learned and making appropriate decisions and choices. Cooperation Cooperating, collaborating, and leading or following as the situation demands. Creativity Being creative and imaginative in their thinking and in their approach to problems and dilemmas. Curiosity Being curious about the nature of learning, about the world, its people and cultures. Empathy Imagining themselves in another s situation in order to understand his or her reasoning and emotions, so as to be open-minded and reflective about the perspectives of others Enthusiasm Enjoying learning and willingly putting the effort into the process. Independence Thinking and acting independently, making their own judgments based on reasoned argument, and being able to defend their judgments. Integrity Being honest and demonstrating a considered sense of fairness. Respect Respecting themselves, others and the world around them. Tolerance Being sensitive about differences and diversity in the world and being responsive to the needs of others.