Positive Schools Programme Adopted by Island School

The ‘Positive Schools Programme’ adopted by Island School employs an all-inclusive approach in creating a supportive school environment, targeted at both teachers and students. Here Maths Teacher Mr William Wong, a member of the teacher-led team, shares the rationale behind the programme and the goals that they hope to achieve.

“The [Positive Schools Programme] is a school initiative that puts an emphasis on teaching teachers to be positive, so that this can be translated to students,” Mr Wong explains. The programme encompasses a variety of topics – such as awareness of how our emotions affect us, how well we can focus and the benefits of positive thinking. One of the assets of the project is that the approach is largely evidence-based. “We were given lots of scientific studies relating to how the brain works as well as various tools to use to deal with different situations – such as when we’re worried, or dealing with conflict,” he says. “This research also shows that the way we think has an impact on our emotions and general health.”

The teachers behind the Positive Schools Programme believe that it is vital to teach students to be more positive, as this can be instrumental for improving their mental health and wellbeing. “Students these days are really affected by stress,” says Mr Wong. “There is a lot of science behind the benefits of positive thinking and changing our mindset, which is important to incorporate into school life. If we change our mindset, this does a lot of good for everybody – stress levels decrease, we’ll be more happy and more productive.”

By Julia Mulrooney, Communications and Information Officer