Approaches to Positive Education

Abstract

With the ongoing growth and development of positive education globally, there is increased interest and uptake in schools. Yet while there is considerable activity, there is little strategic orientation, with schools utilising a multitude of approaches, often with no overarching framework. There has also been a lack of guidance and implementation recommendations by key bodies, and a dearth of literature identifying and reviewing common approaches to the implementation of positive education, resulting in information overload and lack of clarity that may undermine the application and practice of positive education. This chapter first argues for the strategic integration of approaches and the need for cross-disciplinary collaboration. Second, we overview some of the current approaches to positive education, with a particular focus on social and emotional learning, character education, growth mindset, resilience and mental toughness, and coaching. Third, we provide a case study to highlight how the successful integration of these approaches can be implemented. Finally, practical recommendations are provided to inform the strategic implementation of positive education.

Positive Education in the United Arab Emirates: Navigating Through and Beyond the Global Pandemic

“…Like the rest of the UAE, in RAK, private schools have uncritically borrowed curricula from foreign countries as an alternative to government schools. However,Green et al (2021) argue that since private/independent schools typically have more resources than public schools, they have integrated PE more quickly and effectively into their schools. Additionally, in instances where public schools endeavor to try PE strategies, they are rarely fully realized as the teacher learning acquired during professional sessions is "not transferred into lived practices at the school, nor are they embedded in school processes" (p 24)…”