Building Resilience: Positive Education for Students

Taking care of one\'s mental health is paramount to Generation Z. The pressures of school, family and friends are harmful but they can be kept at bay by adopting a positive attitude towards education. While Hong Kong students excel academically, they are not doing nearly as well when taking care of...

Taking care of one\'s mental health is paramount to Generation Z. The pressures of school, family and friends are harmful but they can be kept at bay by adopting a positive attitude towards education. While Hong Kong students excel academically, they are not doing nearly as well when taking care of their mental well-being. Such a worrying problem has been revealed time and again in surveys. **Poor mental health** THE latest one, conducted by Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service, found over 50 percent of secondary students regularly engage in self-criticism, and 20 percent have mental health concerns that require attention.\ The survey on over 1,600 students between November last year and April this year assessed their overall well-being, mental health status, life satisfaction, self-criticism and pro-social behaviour. The average score for well-being was 2.63 out of 5, with just 26.3 percent reporting an ideal level of well-being. Also, 25.5 percent showed moderate to severe depression while 20.5 percent exhibited moderate to severe anxiety. Students experience frequent stress, so positive education helps students elevate their level of well-being. **Spearheading positive education** POSITIVE education takes inspiration from positive psychology, which has been defined by the Positive Psychology Centre at the University of Pennsylvania (U of P) as \"the scientific study of human flourishing, and an applied approach to optimal functioning. It is also the study of the strengths and virtues that enable individuals, communities, and organisations to thrive,\" wrote teacher trainer Marta Mandolini. \"Positive education brings together the science of positive psychology with best-practice teaching to encourage and support individuals, schools, and communities to flourish -- a combination of feeling good and doing good,\" according to Geelong Grammar School\'s Institute of Positive Education. A key mode of positive education is the PERMA Model developed by U of P\'s Positive Psychology Centre director Martin Seligman. It comprises five main elements: Positive emotions (fostering joy, gratitude, and hope); Engagement (encouraging full absorption in challenging activities); Relationship (developing positive connections with others); Meaning (serving something greater than oneself); Accomplishment (pursuing success and mastery). Positive education focuses on individual strengths and personal motivation to promote learning. It customises learning goals to each student\'s level rather than enforcing standardised benchmarks. Key benefits of positive education include enhancing overall well-being and happiness, increasing life satisfaction, and building resilience and coping skills. **What is resilience?** Resilience is the ability to adapt and recover from adversity, trauma, or life challenges. Building resilience involves developing and implementing a positive mindset, focusing on strengths, and cultivating optimism. It can be nurtured through self-care practices. You can exercise, get enough sleep, healthy eating, and engage in activities that bring joy and relaxation. Building a strong support system with friends, family, or support groups can enhance resilience by providing emotional support, understanding, and encouragement.