Positive Education brings together the science of Positive Psychology with teaching and organisational best practice to create the environment and teach the skills of wellbeing which promote positive mental health for staff and students.
Mental illness, in particular anxiety and depression, are significant problems in developed societies and the onset of these conditions is being diagnosed at increasingly earlier ages. Good Shepherd therefore has both a need and a responsibility to take positive action to promote wellbeing in our community, nurturing individual and group resilience to these conditions. Research shows that Positive Education programs decrease stress and anxiety as well as increase self-efficacy, self-esteem and optimism which are the foundations of resilience.
A recurring theme within education and psychological research is that motivation to learn and optimal achievement is linked with higher levels of wellbeing. A focus on developing individual strengths within mutually respectful relationships and connectedness within our community is a key factor in teacher effectiveness, student achievement and academic performance. The research suggests that when Positive Psychology based programs are applied in schools, student engagement, wellbeing and academic performance are significantly enhanced.
Positive Psychology at Good Shepherd therefore seeks not only to enhance wellbeing and buffer against mental illness, but to develop the skills and attitudes to enhance individual and collective performance and achievement.
An Informed Scientific Approach
A distinguishing feature of Positive Education is its firm scientific foundation, drawing on empirical research findings from the fields of psychology, neuroscience and education. The Positive Education program at Good Shepherd is exclusively founded in this scientific research and includes processes to gather data in order to measure and evaluate program progress and effectiveness.