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Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, an American political figure, diplomat and activist, once opined, “Happiness is not a goal...it’s a by-product of a life well lived.” In today’s world, with intense regional conflicts, fierce competition, unrest, economic strain and political instability, happy education acts as one of the most effective forces for promoting positivity in the educational sector. With a view to fostering high academic achievement and developing nourishing habits to support mental well-being, we need to think of a happy education model that will promote critical and reflective skills among learners. This write-up will focus on its key areas, along with the importance of this happy education model in short.
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL):
According to famous spiritual and political leader Mahatma Gandhi, “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” This famous quote by Mahatma Gandhi emphasises that where actions are consistent with one’s thoughts and words, life becomes more peaceful. Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) focuses on developing soft skills like non-technical interpersonal and behavioural traits, such as effective communication skills, adaptability, social grace, beauty & flexibility, amiability, friendliness, self-management skills, etc. Through the integration of daily check-ins and conflict resolution lessons, along with reflection on self-awareness and decision-making abilities, SEL promotes better mental health of the learners for achieving long-term success in life. Thus, as a part of happy education, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) has become an effective educational framework designed to assist individuals in developing essential skills for managing emotions, setting goals, showing empathy, maintaining rhythm in life through positive relationships, and making more resilient and responsible learners.
Mindfulness:
We know as an important part of education, mindfulness acts as the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, without being overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. The present world is filled with lots of chaos and anxiety. Probably there will be issues due to a lack of mindfulness in future. From research, it is found that happy and relax students are more engaged and mindful than unhappy and stressed students. By implementing some activities in schools for boosting up happy spirits in learners can lead to better outcomes.
Creativity
In the process of holistic learning, schools and family should think of happy education for enhancing creativity in learners. Creativity will prepare students for future learning as well as for academic success. Hence, curriculum materials in the classroom should focus on creativity related activities. We know, creativity takes place in a safer and friendly environment. There may be assignments based on free academic tasks. The learners should also be motivated to be creative, as it will help to create a better world for them.
Motivation
Motivation is the key to unlock the treasure of the hidden beauty of the world. In the process of learning, learners who are mostly driven by intrinsic motivation become successful. From the internal desire for mastery, autonomy, and purpose rather than external pressures like fear of grades, these learners move ahead to win any difficult situation. Motivation brings positive emotion and makes learners more curious to experience learning for pleasure, not out of pressure. Happy education focuses strongly on positive motivation. The strong, supportive, and trusting relationships between teachers and students are essential to motivate learners and promote a sense of security in them that will bring better learning.
Nature and Happy Education
Learners stay happier under the canopy of nature. Sometimes, outdoor activities without dependence on technological tools foster children’s emotional well-being, happiness, creativity, and resilience. It connects them with the natural world and makes them more caring towards their surroundings. This vibe, in turn, makes them regenerate their spirits to do better in life.
From the discussion above, it is clear that happy education emphasizes the notion of thinking of preparing a whole child with emotional equilibrium and social skills alongside gaining academic achievements, which will build resilience for both academic challenges and life after school. Academic life becomes a rewarding, life-long journey for learners who will get a happy education.
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The writer is Professor of English at the Institute of Modern Languages of Jagannath University, Dhaka, Bangladesh & Chairperson of the Council of Educational Administration & Management (CEAM) of the Bangladesh Chapter from Kerala, India