OLD - Positive Education

中文

"Positive Education” or 正向教育 (zhengxiang jiaoyu) is the name CIS has adopted for its own version of positive psychology, developed with guidance from Professor Lea Waters. It is not a formal pedagogical programme. Rather, Positive Education is an ongoing discourse which CIS has embraced to inform learning, interpersonal relationships and school values.

The goal is to give every student and member of staff the awareness and means to achieve his or her fullest potential

In short, we define positivity as moving beyond wellness - defined as merely the absence of unwellness - and striving for true flourishing.

Positive Education does not deny difficulties, but seeks instead to build resilience by bolstering each person’s ability to cope with challenges based on an understanding of his or her signature strengths, and by developing other tools and strategies.

All CIS students and staff learn about Positive Education, and examples may be found throughout the school.

Beginnings & Next Steps

CIS has always held the whole child at the centre of its mission.

In 2011, with the belief that the school must attend more closely to the emotional well-being of its students in order to fulfill its mission, school leaders responsible for student support and counselling began to look for more structured ways to embed well-being into the CIS programme. Vanguard members of the faculty met with advocates and practitioners, attended seminars, visited schools, and read widely.

In 2013, CIS began working with Professor Lea Waters from The University of Melbourne to facilitate staff, student and parent learning in the area of Positive Education. With her continued support and inspiration, Positive Education has not only taken root, but is also growing in new directions.

The "PERMA" Model

The definition of well-being generally used at CIS follows a model founded on the five pillars of:

Positive emotions,
Engagement,
Relationships,
Meaning,
Accomplishment

"Pos Ed" In Action

Here are just a few of the attitudes and routines being discussed and practiced by CIS students and staff as they go about their daily lives:

Character Strengths
Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset
Appreciative Inquiry
Gratitude (including “What Went Well” reflection)
Mindfulness
Flow
Perseverance
Process Praise
physical activities such as tai chi, pilates, yoga, etc.

Character Strengths

Take the free VIA Survey (youth or adult versions), and discover your own top character strengths.

IPEN Movement

CIS is a participant.

Find out more at www.ipositive-education.net
Read a blog post by CIS Head of School Ted Faunce
Sign the IPEN manifesto

Student-Centred Learning

CIS students and teachers are also discovering kinship between Positive Education and other emerging approaches to personalised and student-centred learning they are embracing, such as “Cultures of Thinking”, the “Flipped Classroom”, and the “Responsive Classroom”.

Chinese International School｜漢基國際學校