Happiness at School – Invitation to the 5th National Week of Happiness at School – A guest blog by Anna Hildebrandt-Mrozek
Curious about themselves – curious about the world
For the fifth time, we are gathering the nationwide community to popularize the scientific approach to happiness and well-being in schools, kindergartens, libraries, community centers… among adults (teachers, administration workers, parents) and among children on September 23-29, 2024.
Week of Happiness at School is an occassion to initiate a positive approach to teachers, students, school employees and parents in the new school year.
We do not want this to be just a one-time project, but for the activities to be carried out throughout the entire school year and the effects to be visible in the long term.
Let this be an opportunity for a real change in the culture and climate of the school or kindergarten.
This year’s slogan: “Curious about yourself – curious about the world” refers to the third wave of positive psychology in the world, the main task of which is to show, in addition to the personal context, also the culture and environment in which we function.
Modern researchers agree: no description of optimal functioning is universal – every smallest community (including school) has its own culture, the specificity of which plays an important role in the functioning of the individual and the community.
Moreover, a realistic approach to happiness (the second wave of positive psychology) should take into account the ability to overcome difficulties or live with suffering, as well as the possibility of achieving happiness and flourishing despite the dark sides of human existence (Piotr Oleś, Lublin 2024).
We can achieve this by adopting the position of a researcher, a sensitive observer who accepts all aspects of humanity and cultural differences, including the obvious ones between East and West, individualistic culture and collectivist culture.
Maybe it’s worth drawing from many approaches…?
Hence the idea for this year’s slogan: curious about themselves – curious about the world.
Curiosity, one of the strengths of character according to Peterson and Seligman, makes us adopt the position of an explorer – towards ourselves and towards the surrounding world.
Thanks to this, before we react, we give ourselves space, as Viktor E. Frankl said: “Between the stimulus and the reaction there is space: in this space lies the freedom and power to choose our response.”
I listen with curiosity and get to know myself and others. This is a natural prevention of violence.
Curiosity developes empathy. Combined with, for example, interest, inspiration, admiration, it broadens the horizons of thinking, makes us open, creative and sensitive.
Positivity, in turn, expands our resources, knowledge, skills, connections and ways of acting. It reduces stress, builds mental resilience, strengthens emotional intelligence, increases our adaptability in this complex world…
Curiosity can be a gateway to the development of positivity, positivity triggers curiosity in us 🙂
This year’s proposals include the following, reflective and stimulating positive interventions:
- Curious about myself – what does curiosity mean to me? What is self-curiosity? What is self-awareness? What resources do I have at my disposal? My body, my mind, my emotions, my spirituality – do I know them?
- Curious about the world – curiosity about other people, cultures, spaces, rituals – how do I show it? How can we celebrate diversity – in the classroom, at school, in the family?
- The world in our hands – a celebration of ecological thinking, action and feeling. How do we care for the Earth? How do we think about the Earth and the Universe?
- Digital hygiene celebration – what is digital hygiene? What does it mean to me? How do I take care of myself in the digital world? How do I encourage others to take care of their digital hygiene?
- Help – not violence – a celebration of strengthening bonds and relationships against violence. How do we counteract violence – physical, mental, emotional – in the family, in the classroom, at school? How do we help each other with this?
- Celebration of the good word – a good word has special power – it brings people closer, eliminates barriers and strengthens them. The language of positivity benefits everyone – how do we use it?
- A celebration of creativity, passion and perseverance – developing passion requires patience and perseverance – how do we show it? How do we creatively and persistently develop our talents and strengths? How do we maintain engagement? What motivates us to act? What demotivates us? What conclusions do we draw from this?
- Celebration of courage – courage is one of the character traits that are worth developing. Thanks to courage, we set boundaries and stand on the “good side of POWER”. How do we do it?
- Empathy Celebration – empathy is one of the most important features in today’s world. Empathy allows me to better know myself and my limits, and at the same time understand others and accept their limits. How do we do it?
- Celebration of dignity – human dignity is the foundation for building self-esteem. Thanks to adequate self-esteem, we build lasting relationships with ourselves and others, and we are able to take care of ourselves and others. How do I care for my dignity? How do I show respect for the dignity of others, of the world?
- Strike a balance – balance and the need for rest are becoming valuable resources today, thanks to which we live a healthy life and can function well. What does balance mean to me? How do I rest? How do I regenerate my thoughts, emotions, my body? A walk, a meeting, sleep, mindfulness… How do I encourage balance in others?
- Community Day – better together – we already know that. But how do we take care of our community – family, class, school? What are our common values? What connects us? Can we be together in diversity? How do we celebrate successes?
- A celebration of supportive beliefs – the beliefs we have – about ourselves and the world around us – influence how we behave, what we think, what we feel, what relationships we build. Beliefs can destroy, but they can also build. What beliefs empower me? How do I care for them? How do I show it in my behavior to others and what results from it?
As every year, we invite you to take up the challenge😊
Prepare a short artistic form (artistic scene, skit, pantomime, literary work, etc. on the topic: “CURIOUS ABOUT OURSELVES – CURIOUS ABOUT THE WORLD” and publish the recording by September 29 (Sunday) on your YouTube or Facebook with the hashtag:
#happyschoolweek2024 #happinessatschool @happinessatschool
Registration and details on the website: www.happinessatschool.pl
I encourage you to engage other adults, together with children and young people, not only in schools and kindergartens, but also in various institutions dealing with broadly understood education – community centers, libraries, teacher training centers, foundations and educational associations, etc.
Let’s make it together! With CURIOUSITY ABOUT OURSELVES – CURIOUSITY ABOUT THE WORLD😊
