Positive education at Hornsby Girls High School
The elements of Positive Psychology underpin Teaching and Learning and Student Wellbeing at Hornsby Girls High School. Our commitment to the ideas of Positive Psychology has been driven by a desire to equip students with positive ways of thinking and to develop and nurture resilient students who are flourishing in all areas of wellbeing: physical, mental and academic.
Through a whole school commitment to staff professional learning, parent and community information forums and the delivery of wellbeing initiatives for students that explicitly teach the elements of Positive Psychology, we endeavour to provide a holistic, positive learning environment.
Whole school change and thinking about wellbeing and its significance in teaching and learning is a continual process of learning for staff at Hornsby Girls High School.
Positive Education at Hornsby Girls High School
The 7 Principles of Positive Psychology
- Gratitude
- Kindness
- Optimistic thinking
- Mindfulness – living in the present
- Meaning and purpose
- Taking care of your body and your soul
- Identifying and maximising character strengths
Friday Focus – A whole-school Positive Education program
- A fortnightly extended roll call of 20 minutes run through the vertical roll structure
- A forum to raise wellbeing issues and encourage student voice
- A positive opportunity for roll call teachers to engage with students on wellbeing issues
- A leadership opportunity
- A whole school approach to student wellbeing
- Specific links to KLAs - opportunities to further develop wellbeing or KLA program by addressing relevant issues e.g. health / the environment / social justice
- Excellent opportunity to harness student opinion and value student voice
Martin Seligman's PERMA model is a useful framework for the wellbeing programs at Hornsby Girls high School. Please see: https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/perma-model/ for further information.
What does this look like at Hornsby Girls?
