Summary Slides Exploring key Click concepts to edit in title style Positive Psychology Click to edit Master subtitle style Anne Johnstone
Our Mission & Philosophy Ravenswood is dedicated to: excellence in education for girls; the realisation of each child s potential; providing a balanced curriculum encompassing spiritual, academic, cultural, physical and practical areas of learning. 3
Guiding Principles 4
Our Motto Semper ad meliora: Always towards better things 5
What is Positive Psychology? Enhancement vs. Disease/therapy model Enabling conditions of life Flourishing identifying and building strengths, virtues, meaning and positive emotion Upper range of happiness positive interventions: not just empty smiley face Or a happy-ology 6
Components of Wellbeing Positive emotion Learned optimism Blessings exercise Accomplishment Self control Grit Meaning Components of wellbeing flourishing PERMA Engagement Signature strengths Building character Flow Relationships Active constructive feedback Belonging to something bigger than yourself See Seligman, Martin E P (2011), Flourish 7
Importantly, these elements can be: Developed Taught Measured 8
Links with learning Wellbeing and learning are inextricably linked Synergistic relationship: shown to do better Specific domains in PERMA focus on learning Increased: productivity engagement flow 9
Positive emotion 10
Your brain is hardwired to perform at it s best when it feels positive. Professor Barbara Fredrickson 11
Factors that contribute to positive emotion Genetics (50%) our genetically determined set point Circumstances (10%) income, health, marital status Intentional activity (40%) what we do and how we think Sonia Lyubomirsky s model 12
Pessimism v optimism Pessimism Internal 'it s my fault' Permanent 'it s always going to be like this' Pervasive 'it s going to ruin everything' Passivity and dejection Give up and become inert Optimism External 'there are a range of factors' Changeable 'things can change' Temporary 'tough times never last' Activity Become energised by challenge See Seligman, Martin E P (1991), Learned Optimism 13
Interrupting the cycle of negativity Adversity We react by thinking about it Belief Habitual don t realise until we stop and focus Consequence Beliefs cause what we feel & do next affect consequences ABC Model: Albert Ellis 14
Helping students Become more aware of their thoughts Detect patterns Take a robust approach in establishing helpful and healthy thinking patterns 15
What do we do next? Staff Presentation ABC D E Adversity Belief Disputation Energisation Consequences That s not completely true because A more optimistic way of seeing this is The most likely implication is I can. See Seligman, Martin E P (1991), Learned Optimism 16
Re-educating attention, conciousness Savouring A simple intervention that works: What went well ( hunt the good stuff ) 94% less depressed after 2 weeks studies show long term, self sustaining effects (Seligman s study) 17
Engagement 18
Can You Spot Your Top Five Strengths? 19
Signature strengths 20
Wisdom and knowledge Curiosity Ingenuity Social intelligence Wisdom and knowledge Love of learning Judgement David Gulpilil, two worlds Craig Ruddy, 2004 Perspective 21
Courage Valour Courage Integrity Perseverance Rescue and Resuscitation Max Dupain, c1940 22
Humanity and love Kindness Humanity and love Loving Pygmalion and Galatea Jean Leon Gerome, c1890 23
Justice Citizenship Justice Fairness Leadership The Camp Sidney Nolan, 1946 24
Temperance Self control Temperance Prudence Humility Pink Jug Margaret Preston, 1925 25
Transcendence Appreciation of beauty Humour and zest Forgiveness Transcendence Hope Gratitude Spirituality 26
Use your strengths to Know thyself: understand what engages you Re-craft approach to study, work, play Contribute to something larger than yourself 27
Further recent research on why strengths matter Individual Wellbeing Individual Performance Business Performance Happiness & Depression Vitality Engagement Stress Self-Efficacy & Confidence Productivity Health Behaviour Growth & Development Staff Turnover Life Satisfaction Meaning Customer Satisfaction (McQuaid & Lawn, 2015) 28
People who use their strengths each day are up to six times more engaged in their work. Tom Rath 29
Relationships 30
Our relationships with other people matter, and matter more than anything else in the world. Dr George Vaillant 31
An approach that enhances relationships: Better quality interactions when it counts We can teach students how to foster better relationships Interesting findings: Action Constructive Responding 32
Meaning Staff Presentation 33
A life beyond ourselves Serving a cause greater than ourselves Being other person-centred: opm Fun v philanthropy Studies: fun = good while it lasts Philanthropy: felt mellow, happier, people like me more Want to feel better? Help someone else 34
The single strongest predictor of meaningfulness is the belief that what we do has a positive impact on others. Professor Adam Grant 35
Do You Have A Clear Why? Complete this sentence: Almost everything I do is to so that. 36
Accomplishment 37
More important than believing in our abilities is the belief we can improve our abilities. Professor Carol Dweck 38
What Are Your Beliefs? Fixed Mindset Outcome Focused Fear Based Growth Mindset Learning Focused Confidence Based We judge achievements Negative feedback wounds Failure is fatal To succeed I need to be in control Success plateaus We judge effort Negative feedback teaches Failure is part of learning To succeed I need to be willing to show up Success grows (Dweck, 2008) 39
Why Are Our Stories So Powerful? Thoughts Is that true? Research suggests: The beliefs we hold about our abilities impact our levels of stress, our ability to maximise our potential and our levels of grit. Other things being equal, hope is worth a 14% bump in productivity - about an hour a day. Actions Feelings (Dweck, 2006; Duckworth, 2014; Reichard, Avey, Lopez. & Dollwet, 2013 ) 40
An important message Students are capable of significant achievement Effort builds neural networks and changes the brain 41
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