Positive Psychology

So today I went to the campus forum with Martin Seligman as the speaker. He is a super famous, renowned psychologist for his work in postive pscyhology. It was aMAZing.

He talked about Postive education, how schools can and SHOULD be teaching not just facts, but also well-being.

He talked about how we shouldn't just focus on taking out the bad, but building up the good. We should build up our strengths, and use them to tackle things that we don't enjoy. Every night we should write down 3 things that went well that day.

He talked about how much our world has grown materially, along with the rise of depression. He also commented on the fact that economists measure the GDP as a basis for how well the nation is doing, but everytime someone commits suicide that number goes up and it's a "good thing"...wack? yes.

He talked about so many good things and I was trying to soak it all up, but I didn't do a very good job. Or, at least I'm having trouble doing it justice as I try to relate it here.

ANYWAY, it was brilliant and so applicable; we could all use a little more happiness, no?

I think what I loved most about it was that it gave me teaching ideas. Sometimes I have the flash-forwards into my teaching career and the kinds of things I will implement into my classroom. This was definitely one of those times. I want to have positive education happen in my classrooms. I don't want my students to just have knowledge, I want them to have happiness and hope in the world! Dr. Seligman talked about how typical high school literature is all so depressing! Lord of the Flies, Romeo and Juliet, Hard Times...the list goes on. But if we can teach this and back it up with positivity, the students could have a totally different experience!

For instance, take Lord of the Flies. This is a book that would make one want to loose all hope in all goodness of human nature. What if when we discussed this novel, however, we looked at qualities within ourselves and those around us that would prevent this story from ever coming true? What if students were assigned to search out positive news articles that capture human good? See there are bad things in the world: there are people that murder their wives and children; there are people that make rape-simulation games. No matter how much bad there is, however, there is still good. The goal here is not to ignore the bad, but to counteract it with good. : )

I believe in hope and happiness. Lately I've had a lot of reasons to be sad and to lose hope in people. As I have searched for good, however, I have found it. It only takes a little good to weigh out a ton of bad.

So if you've read this, here is your assignment! Comment back, sharing 3 good things that you have experienced today. : )

Here are mine:
1. I woke up on time and had a good hair day.
2. I called my dad today and had a pleasant conversation.
3. I saw a devotional speaker from a few weeks ago and got to tell her face to face how much I enjoyed her talk.

Have a wonderful day!
Oh and here is a link to the associated website!
www.authentichappiness.org