Applying Positive Psychology: Sideways

Applying Positive Psychology: Sideways is an initial plan for inculcating positive psychology into the King school from the position of a mid-level administrator. The plan starts with integrating the VIA Inventory into the college counseling process (already in process) and expands into the middle school and upper school through grade level transition experiences, sophomore leadership development, and the school’s athletics program. The case for positive psychology in schools is based upon the work of Dr. Martin Seligman, Dr. Christopher Peterson and others, as well as the developing concepts and practices at Geelong Grammar School (Australia), Culver Academies (Culver, Indiana), the work done at Strath Haven (Wallingford, Pennsylvania), service learning experiences done within the MAPP program, and the current work being done under the mantle of UK Penn Resiliency Project (United Kingdom). The appendix is rich with tools and references that any reader may find useful. This plan is in process and the author may be contacted for an update on the experience of working to apply Positive Psychology to a school in this manner – the early results are encouraging.