Geelong Grammar School’s Institute of Positive Education has been recognised as one of the world’s 100 most inspiring education innovations by Finnish education organisation HundrED.
Positive Education is one of four Australian initiatives included in the HundrED’s 100 Inspiring Innovations, announced in Helsinki on October 4, as part of Finland’s celebrations to mark 100 years of independence.
The 100 global education innovations will be featured on the HundrED website with step-by-step instructions as a free resource for educators around the world as part of its mission to “create an education revolution so that every child, anywhere in the world, can receive the best education possible”.
“Our vision from the very beginning was to share Positive Education as widely as possible and establish wellbeing as an essential component of a thriving educational system,” Principal Stephen Meek, said.
“I believe that Positive Education has changed the momentum in schools in Australia, and around the world, about the importance of wellbeing for students and staff. The ongoing work of our Institute of Positive Education continues to enable more and more schools to embrace Positive Education. In the past three years, the Institute has delivered 100 courses, supported 1000 schools and trained 10,000 teachers.”
About Positive Education
The organisation was developed from the science of Positive Psychology in collaboration with Professor Martin Seligman and his team from the University of Pennsylvania in 2008. Geelong Grammar School’s transformational Positive Education programme focuses on cultivating positive emotions and character traits, encouraging students to find purpose and lead engaged and meaningful lives. Positive Education is taught at each year level, at every campus and across all aspects of school life. Explicit teaching is delivered in Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 through specific Positive Education classes written by the world’s leading research psychologists and developed in collaboration with experienced classroom teachers.
About HundrED
HundrED is a not-for-profit organisation funded by the Finnish government, philanthropists and corporate sponsors. Since implementing significant education reforms in the 1970s, Finland’s school system has consistently been at the top of international education rankings. In 2016, HundrED selected 100 education innovations from Finland, which were then trialled in schools across the country. Each innovation selected for HundrED’s global 100 Inspiring Innovations was carefully assessed and reviewed by an expert advisory panel of researchers and teachers.