Positive psychology curriculum puts wellbeing at learning centre

Continuing to push boundaries, the Institute of Positive Education at Geelong Grammar School have further embedded their commitment to Positive Education with the official launch of their Positive Education Enhanced Curriculum (PEEC) which caters for learners at the school from four years of age. 

The PEEC is a research-based explicit curriculum created to help educators to lead dedicated Positive Education classes where children can learn the evidence-based wellbeing skills that contribute to living a healthy and fulfilling life, a spokesperson said. 

The curriculum is aimed at students from Early Learning (four years of age) through to Year 12, and offers over 280 developmentally appropriate lesson plans designed in consultation with developmental psychologists in the field of positive psychology. 

Speaking about the launch, a spokesperson advocating for the inclusion of the program noted that positive education was a space where “the science of wellbeing meets best practice teaching and learning.”

The school believes PEEC will “enrich teachers’ foundational understanding of Positive Education so that children can flourish”, pointing to research which shows that teaching life skills consistently will increase wellbeing and academic achievement in different social, economic, and cultural contexts. 

Justin Robinson, Director of the Institute, noted the Institute’s purpose, being to place wellbeing at the heart of education, adding that those involved believe in the shared responsibility to teach young people these skills and knowledge. 

‘This is a valuable resource for any school that is interested in increasing the wellbeing of their children’ Mr Robinson said, adding “It seems more important than ever to intentionally teach our young people and prioritise wellbeing to ensure each child has the opportunity to explore, understand and practice these skills.”

More than just lesson plans, the curriculum provides educators with information on key wellbeing domains, along with “easy-to-read” research summaries that underpin the curriculum. 

PEEC also provides educators with a Developmental Scope and Sequence Framework, glossary of teaching resources, suggested reading lists and printable worksheets/scaffolds. 

The curriculum is mapped to a number of existing frameworks including: Social and Emotional Learning outcomes, the International Baccalaureate, the Australian Curriculum and the Early Years Learning Framework.

The resource, a spokesperson said, has been designed to allow educators to have autonomy and flexibility to best meet their students’ needs. Lessons have been written to be “an all-inclusive resource for educators at all levels as the curriculum has been designed by educators, for educators.”

PEEC, the spokesperson added, “is built on ten years of practice wisdom at Geelong Grammar School and experience in working with over 1000 other schools.” 

The resource is currently being used by over 100 schools across 21 countries worldwide since its pre-sale period, with the curriculum having been piloted at Geelong Grammar School and Bacchus Marsh Primary School, in Victoria and international partner schools in Hong Kong and Dubai. 

Further information about PEEC can be found here. For those interested in receiving a sample, please email [email protected]