Articles

When was the last time you described a student by their unique strength—not just a subject they’re good at, or a grade they achieved? How often do you come across students who are bright, yet quietly grappling with self-doubt, comparison, and uncertainty about what lies ahead?

In the PISA 2022 report on the assessment of 690,000 15-year-olds from 81 countries or economies around the world, Singapore emerged top in reading, mathematics, science and even creative thinking...

Learn how Temasek Secondary School's Positive Education task force comprising key personnel and the lead teachers spearheaded the school’s positive education journey.

In 2023, the Staff Well-being Committee (SWC) of School of Science and Technology, Singapore (SST) launched the Thriving With Well-being Series in partnership with Happiness Initiative. This collaboration aims to create an environment where all staff members can thrive and fulfil their potential.

Fostering and embracing a culture of care and positivity lies at the heart of student life here at School of Science and Technology, Singapore (SST). At the onset of a Secondary 1 (S1) cohort’s educational journey with us, we kick things off with our vibrant Orientation programme, a pivotal moment in cultivating the Positive Education environment we cherish.

Adolescence is a pivotal developmental stage where many teens encounter new challenges and stressors that profoundly impact their emotional health. Scientific research shows that during adolescence, the brain undergoes significant changes, which make teens more susceptible to stress. These changes can influence everything from mood to decision-making.

Untreated mental health issues in children and adolescents pose a risk of persisting into adulthood, signaling an urgent need for proactive measures in schools to prevent a future adult mental health crisis.

The fruits of various research efforts and initiatives concerning positive psychology and positive education in Singapore, as well as in other Asian countries, have been presented in a book "Positive Psychology and Positive Education in Asia: Understanding and Fostering Well-Being in Schools".

Based upon a systematic literature review of trauma-aware practice models and of the student wellbeing literature, a new evidence-informed model arose to meet dual-concerns within the classroom for healing and growth: trauma-informed positive education (TIPE), an emerging field championed by Tom Brunzell and Lea Waters.

As the average person spends 90,000 hours at work in a lifetime, this HBR article highlights how it is important to understand how to feel better about the time we spend earning a living. However, those who pursue happiness can end up feeling the opposite, given that happiness (like all emotions) is a fleeting state.

Everyone cares about well-being and a small nudge can lead to a big change. Otto Scharmer, from MIT, studied transformational change management in entrepreneurs and innovators across science, business, and society. He synthesised his years of research into Theory U - a framework for transformation change at personal and organisational level.

SPEN is proud to have participated in the Positive Psychology and Education Roundtable of the 5th World Education Frontiers Forum held in January 2023.