Chris Gildenmeister, M.Ed STEMtech Conference Norman Vincent Peale - “Change your thoughts and you change your world.”

 Business owner  Educator in Public School System  Mississippi State – Elementary Education  Computers  Science  Masters degrees from Bowling Green State Univ.  Curriculum and Teaching  Classroom Technology

Research says:  Reduces and prevents anxiety  Works equally well across different racial/ethnic backgrounds  Increases optimism and engagement  Improves social skills  Produces positive and reliable improvements  Promotes students sense of purpose  Enhances traditional goals of classroom learning

 First – cure mental illness  Second – find and nurture genius and talent  Third – make normal life more fulfilling Dr. Martin Seligman created a new field in psychology called positive psychology

Positive Psychology is the scientific study of the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive. Dr. Martin E. P. Seligman Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania

Positive Psychology is the scientific study of the personal qualities, life choices, life circumstances, and sociocultural conditions that promote a life well-lived, defined by criteria of happiness, physical and mental health, meaningfulness, and virtue.

 Subjective - positive emotions such as happiness, satisfaction with life, relaxation, and love intimacy  Individual - more enduring and persistent behavior patterns seen in people over time  Society/Group - development, creation, and maintenance of positive institutions

 All things are possible by visualizing them.  Adopt an upbeat vision of reality and positive things will happen.  In the land of happy thoughts we are to blame if things go wrong.

Positive Education - incorporation of the science of positive psychology into the life and work of schools  Benefits teachers personally  Creates relationships that distinguish excellence  Produces students capable of living a good life

 clear ‐ eyed optimism  deep wells of emotional energy and motivation  springy resilience  sturdy hope  strong relationships  clearly understood values  refined purpose  challenging, motivating goals

Florida State University study by Tim Judge and his colleagues  Began in 1979  12, 686 participants  years old

Broad, latent, higher-order trait indicated by four well-established traits  Self-esteem  Self-efficacy  Neuroticism  Locus of Control

Mindsets – how we perceive talent  Growth – smart is something you do which can be increased continuously  Fixed – intelligence is something you have in a predetermined amount

Resilience – ability to advance in the presence of opportunity Relationships – key element of emotional intelligence which assists in developing connections

Strengths - greater engagement, accomplishment and well-being Values in Action Inventory of Character Strengths Example Exercises:  Three good things  Using Signature Strengths

Start simply - Change prompt from ‘think about a time you were embarrassed’ to ‘think about when you were a value to others’ Graduate - create projects that are geared toward each student using their signature strength in a new way to create a higher level of engagement or flow

 Sources of happiness are unanimous - there’s no silver bullet, and money is clearly not enough  Count all successes (big and small) – positive goals equal a better more fulfilling life  3 to 1 Rule - It takes three positive experiences to counteract one negative experience  Pay it forward – it really does work!

35% of happiness is in your control 55% of happiness is biology 10% of happiness is environment COUNT YOUR SUCCESSES!