One major challenge we face as educators is that not all students walk through the classroom door optimised and ready for learning in each subject. Teachers do their best, but the soil is not always fertile. The minds of our students are not always available for learning. By investing time in SEL / Pastoral Care / Wellbeing / Life Skills in schools, we are endowing students with the skills they need to thrive in each of their subjects. These skills are useful during their time at school, but students can also apply these skills to every area of their lives outside, and beyond, their time at school. How can we help students to cultivate these essential skills for a good life?

Legendary basketball coach John Wooden once said “you have to apply yourself each day to becoming a little better. By applying yourself to the task of becoming a little better each and every day over a period of time, you will become a lot better.”

Huge improvements don’t happen over a day, week, month or even a year. They take time.

Positive education is intended to be proactive in nature. It is not about fixing problems with people. It is not about focussing only on those students who are falling behind the rest or performing below the expected level. It is about helping each student reach their full potential. Helping every student become their best. It is called positive because it comes from positive psychology, and is the alternative to the "deficit" model- trying to fix things and people that are broken.