UTOPSS 2014 In Search of the Good Life Randal Ernst UTOPSS October 3, 2014

Today’s Agenda Gratitude Josh & Permelia Positive Education Resilience and PERMA Skill Building Honoring the Good Life

In Gratitude Kristen Habashi Whitlock Westminster College Utah’s Psychology Teachers Ludy “Ben” Benjamin, Clifford Fawl Susan Wunder and Kathy Wilson My folks, and Joshua Mecham

Audience Participation HTGS: Last 24 hours What made it good? How can you get more of this or something like this?

Rejected Titles for Today’s Talk The Early Years of TOPSS: Behind the Budget Battles of 1995 Best AP Psychology Rubrics of the 90s U of Nebraska’s Football Big Wins in this Century

Utah Forever, Forever Utah Joshua Mecham & Permelia Chapman (9 kids) – Baptised 1837 – Both endowed and sealed in Nauvoo Temple Caleb Mecham Sara Mecham Mary Belle Whitmore

Why? The Good Life Teachers: Every day Students

Two words or fewer What do we want most for our children, nephews, nieces?

Most Common Answers Happiness Confidence Kindness Contentment Good job, good insurance Good relationships, love Private residence

Two words or fewer What do our schools teach?

Teaching: Most common Literacy Success Discipline Math Thinking skills Achievement Conformity Point: Almost no overlap

Disconnect? What we want for our children: Well-being What schools teach: Tools for Accomplishment Positive Psychology Positive Education

Evidenced-based findings enabling students, teachers, & families to flourish The Path to Flourishing – increase positive emotions – engagement – relationships – experiences of meaning and accomplishment – Learning to resilient.

Positive Education: Why? Data – Reduces hopelessness (hope/success) – Prevents and reduces depression – Prevents anxiety – Reduces problem/risk behaviors Strath-Haven (Philadelphia) : Increased – engagement in school – enjoyment in school – social skills – achievement

Prominent G20 Schools Geelong Grammar School (AU) – Education/About-Us/About-Us Education/About-Us/About-Us St. Peter’s College (AU) – Wellington College (UK) – -life/well-being/ -life/well-being/

Positive Education Model Learn It – Science and skills of Positive Psychology to teachers, administrators and board members Live It – School leaders model the skills of Positive Psychology Teach It – Stand alone courses/lessons in Positive Psychology Embed It – well-being is reflected in classrooms, on teams and clubs Measure It

Bridging the Disconnect Positive Psychology’s concepts Learning, teaching, embedding, living, measuring Specific Concepts: Happiness, gratitude, hope, flow, forgiveness, resilience, etc., Resilience Skills & PERMA

Resilience: Invictus Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be, For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance, I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears, Looms but the horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years, Finds, and shall find, me unafraid. It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.

Resilience: Winnie The Pooh & Piglet Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.“Pooh!” he whispered. “Yes, Piglet?” “Nothing,” said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw. “I just wanted to be sure of you.”

Resilience: U.S. Army Self-Awareness Self-Regulation Optimism Mental Agility Strengths of Character Connection

Resilience Skills Teachable Default flexible thinking

Three prompts: a.That’s not true because… b.A better way to think of that is… a.OK, what’s more likely is ____ and I will ____ Mental Agility: On-Call Resilience Randy’s Brain

Pair up Partner A thinks, tells B of a stressful situation Partner B becomes Partner A’s brain On-Call Resilience: Your turn

Elements of PERMA Based on the work of Martin Seligman Positive Emotion – Barb Fredrickson, Robert Emmons Engagement – Mike Csikszentmihalyi, Chris Peterson Relationships – Shelly Gable Meaning – Martin Seligman Accomplishment/Achievement – Angela Duckworth, Roy Baumiester

Skills of PERMA Positive Emotion (3 Blessings Exercise) Engagement (Strengths and Flow) Relationships (Active Constructive Responding) Meaning (Acts of Altruism) Accomplishment (Grit)

Barbara Fredrickson Positive Emotion Losada Ratio 3-1 for dept. meetings 5-1 for partners Tops out at 13-1

Active Constructive Responding (ACR) Shelly Gable Active & Constructive Passive & Constructive Active & Destructive – Story stealer – Story Destroyer Passive & Destructive

Positive Education And The Good Life: Moral Imperative The Data: It works Bridge what we want with what we teach? Positive School Reform Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) PLCs? Permelia High School

Thank You Utah