A Ripple Story…
Jane Sleeman
School Principal,
Queensland Academy
Jane championed a positive psychology approach in education, embedding strengths-based practices, wellbeing programmes, and the science of flourishing across her campus to create a supportive, thriving environment for students, teams, and families.
Gold Coast, Australia
Alumni:
🎓 Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing
What drew you to complete the Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing?
"I wanted to learn from experts in an interesting, engaging and challenging way, and I was very keen to formalise my learning in a coherent way."
I have always had a long-term interest in many elements of positive psychology, before I knew of the term and field of research known as Positive Psychology.
I had been working with students and team members for many years, using terminology and ideas such as the power of positive thinking, the glass-half-full approach, and the connection between optimism and success, being linked to one's attitude. For example, principal speeches at school assemblies, general interactions with others, and professional development activities with staff centred around these positive themes.
Once I came across the field of positive psychology, I started to explore it and appreciate it as a science, and I was thrilled. It gave me a consistent language and broader understanding. Yet I still felt there was so much more to learn.
I also wanted to further add credibility to this long-term interest and felt that undertaking a Diploma-level programme with a real qualification would be useful, as well as the learning content being of interest to me. I have another couple of diplomas in Counselling and Marketing, and I felt that this helped round out my knowledge in both professional and personal contexts.
I initially enquired about the course in 2015, yet had not committed at that point. I explored what else might be out there, yet nothing compared to the Langley Group Institute's Diploma, and once the Byron Bay Retreat option came up, I knew that was perfect for me. I jumped in for an amazing week at Elements of Byron, and then committed to completing the Diploma with a raft of excellent assessments that consolidated my learning and stretched me in a very positive way.
What was your experience during the course?
"Whilst I had some prior knowledge of positive psychology concepts, undertaking the Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing was so refreshing, and I was captivated by all of it."
The core units were facilitated so well. Each component was well-paced and included numerous experiential activities throughout the week. I also think that a course like this attracts people of a particular generosity and positivity, and whilst our group was made up of people from a range of places, industries and backgrounds, we learned so well due to the synergy in the group.
I struggled to narrow the elective choices to two, and working in Education, I initially felt that the Positive Education elective would be appropriate, yet a little expected. So, in the end, I chose the electives Positive Leadership and Positive Human Resources as an extra challenge. Both of these electives were, of course, relevant to my context, and the readings and assessment activities pushed me into new territory.
I admit that I stumbled with the first assessment in the core unit, as in my field, an academic writing approach is what I am used to, and this is not what the Diploma assessment expectations are. It’s actually a much more honest and reflective approach that I enjoyed adapting to, and subsequently worked through each assessment with assurance. I completed my assessments within several months as I got into a good rhythm, and the learnings from the week at Byron Bay remained fresh. Support from the assessor was also excellent.
How are you spreading your positive ripples, and how has the Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing helped you achieve this?
"Classroom teaching and student learning are the core work in schools, with the principal’s responsibility being to ensure the best conditions for this to occur. The best conditions are created and maintained by providing a safe, supportive and happy place to learn and work. Perfectly aligned with the elements of positive psychology."
My ‘Positive Ripples’ have been tangible achievements, as well as positively influencing others.
I am the Principal of a government school for students in years 10-12, where students undertake the challenging International Baccalaureate Diploma, an international qualification.
So back to school to spread some positive ripples. With any new initiative, it’s important to have real support and influence from the top, so the school principal, having the qualification of the Diploma in Positive Psychology and Wellbeing, demonstrated a commitment to this agenda.
We had established a small wellbeing committee in 2016, comprised of team members and students who had tinkered with some wellbeing initiatives, such as celebrating mental health week as a positive “spring into wellbeing” week, that changed the emphasis from dealing with negatives to a more positive approach. A range of activities were attached to this, that focused on strengths, fun and Martin Seligman’s PERMA+ model; Positive EMOTION, ENGAGEMENT, RELATIONSHIPS, MEANING, ACCOMPLISHMENT and HEALTH – eating well, moving regularly, and sleeping deeply.
Completing the Diploma has better enabled me to be a knowledgeable workshop facilitator for a range of team professional development activities, and an influencer of practice.
Some of the tangibles include:
- A focus each term on a particular strength from the VIA Character Strengths. All students and team members undertake the VIA strength survey to determine their signature strengths, and can adorn their laptops with stickers displaying their strengths so others know how working in different strength-based groups might work for them
- Wellbeing themed days with a range of new, tried and true “happiness” activities
- Gratitude boards in the school cafeteria and the team rooms
- A wellbeing trolley including shade umbrellas, cushions, picnic rugs and games
- Chill zones linked to themed days, with maker spaces including LEGO, happy beads for practising gratitude, and marbling art, to mention a few
- Campus corners for relaxation
- Mindfulness activity zones: colour pencils and colouring sheets in the library and cafeteria, with other mindfulness activities
- Direct instruction about mindsets
- The elements of positive psychology are written into all year levels’ care programme
- Weekly Random Acts of Kindness
- The language of positive psychology pervades the campus, with signage, quality posters, visuals and messages on TV screens, happy music in the mornings instead of bells
Our Head of Department Global Learners is the driver for much of this activity and is supported with a dedicated budget.
One of my principal addresses at the awards night was “Positive Psychology 101” as one forum for educating parents, as well as regular newsletter articles about positive psychology and as a school, what we are doing in this field.
As in pretty much all workplaces, there are some who doubt anything new or different, so I have always worked with the early adopters and champions in the first instance, and worked with those people to influence the majority and hopefully the doubters. It has been interesting work to engage the doubters, yet I know that if the principal has done the work and shared the science, we have the critical mass required to make it work. This is evidenced by the increasing number of team members using the language of positive psychology, almost automatically.
It has become “just what we do around here”, and it is reflected in official School Opinion Survey data, with very high levels of satisfaction across all domains by students, team members and parents.
Apart from the positive ripples professionally, completing the Diploma has, of course, also contributed to my personal wellbeing in all sorts of positive ways.
Inspired by Jane’s ripple story?
Discover how you can use positive psychology and wellbeing science to create a thriving, strengths-based environment in your workplace or school, while enhancing your own wellbeing and impact.
Join our next Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing or Certificate IV in Wellbeing Science intake and start building your own ripples of growth, optimism, and meaningful change.
Enrol here or book a call to learn more.