How to be Happy: Promoting Achievement Through Wellbeing at KS1 and KS2

Success is not the key to happiness, happiness is the key to success'. Albert Schweitzer Research over the last few years has explored the patterns of thinking, feeling and relating that create human success. It is recognised that wellbeing is not a stand alone feature of individuals, rather it is inextricably linked to that individual's ability to flourish and achieve. The connection between education and happiness is firmly established, confirming what teachers already know, happy children learn and perform better than unhappy children. This programme introduces the core elements of positive psychology and conveys them in a clear and practical way for primary aged children. The 15 sessions aim to teach pupils how to: realise their personal strengths; connect healthily with others; build friendships; and, reach out to trustworthy adults. There are full facilitator notes with all the necessary resources to run an interactive programme that will be delivered with a sense of fun, to engage and inspire all learners. To support the programme the book also contains a section on the key concepts of positive psychology that underpin the sessions, a PowerPoint for staff training and a downloadable resources with copiable resources and useful websites.

Table of Contents:
This 10 session programme provides a creative and engaging way of teaching children the cognitive and social skills that are essential for building optimism and resilience and how to recognise and combat negative thoughts that bring about loss of self esteem, depression and eventually disaffection. Throughout the programme children are introduced to the key insights of positive psychology; ie., the importance of being connected to others making friends; celebrating strengths and recognising what we are good at; holding a thoughtful attitude rather than being reactive to whatever happens to us. Overall the programme aims to teach pupils the skills that will enable them to understand and manage barriers to learning, how to effectively control pressure and to recognise that there are certain skills which they can learn and use to make their lives go better. Sessions include: What makes us happy? Let s be friends What am I good at? Go for goals Be positive Sorted

About the Author :
Ruth MacConville began her career as a class teacher in a mainstream primary school and subsequently specialised in the area of special educational needs. In this field she has worked across all phases, in both special and mainstream provision. Ruth is currently working as head of a specialist teaching team in the London borough of Ealing. In this role Ruth also co-ordinates an outreach service from the authority's special schools and represents the local authority at Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunals. Author of Teach to Inspire's 'Teaching Happiness: A ten step curriculum for building positive classrooms' Ruth is keen to provide practitioners with accessible resources which apply the findings of positive psychology to teaching and learning. Ruth has written extensively on topics such as wellbeing, happiness and the development of peer support and friendship skills. She regularly contributes to national conferences and delivers courses for London University's Special Educational Needs Joint Initiative for Training.