Symposium Presentation 1: Background scope of the program

Presenter: Prof. (Dr.) Sanjeev P. Sahni

Teachers are very important stakeholders in shaping the social fabric of any country, particularly one like India where over one-third of the population comprises children below 18 years of age (Census of India, 2011). However, school-teachers in India often lack adequate training, resources, and support to ensure their well-being at work at beyond. There is clearly documented literature about the role of teacher well-being, it’s roots in, as well as impact on the work environment (e.g. Benevene et al., 2020). Proponents of positive education advocate the promotion of flourishing in the entire school community (Norrish et al., 2013); and teachers undoubtedly are integral to this pursuit. Driven by a keen sense of social responsibility, Jindal Institute of Behavioural Sciences (JIBS), O.P. Jindal Global University, India launched its flagship ‘Teacher Training Program’ in 2014. This pro bono community outreach and capacity-building program works with a two-pronged focus to promote teacher well-being on the one hand, and their skill building on the other. Our target audience comprises educators, school leaders, and administrators from diverse schools not just from India, but also other lower and middle income countries like Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Sri Lanka to name a few. Till date, this program has reached over 66,000 participants from across 28 states in India, as well as 24 countries globally.  While the program was initially offered in an in-person format, we moved online in the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic and now offer the training sessions both online and offline as per the required context. The Teachers Training Program has grown considerably in its scope and reach over the years. During this time, we have benefited immensely from the participant feedback and media recognition of this initiative.  Notably, this program has been recognized and shortlisted by eminent agencies including The Wharton-QS Quacquarelli Symonds Reimagine Education in the category of  ‘Sustainability Education Award’ (2020), and ‘Enhancing Access and Affordability Award’ (2021). Going forward, we plan to measure outcomes associated with this program. Encouraged by the rich anecdotal feedback and repeat attendance from many teachers, the next phase of growth would entail measuring specific outcomes to ensure scientific rigour and document the intervention impact of this initiative.

Symposium Presentation 2: Nurturing Teacher Well-being

Presenter: Dr. Pulkit Khanna 

One important aspect of the Teachers Training Program is to promote teacher/educator well-being. Resource constraints often imply that school-based psychological interventions (when available) are largely reserved for students alone. We recognize that any initiative to promote positive education (Norrish et al., 2013) and thereby better school climate must focus on the well-being of teachers in addition to students. Well-being is conceptualized as a multi-dimensional concept across positive psychology literature (e.g. Diener et al. 1999; Keyes, 2005). Taking into consideration the emotional, social, and psychological domains of well being (Keyes, 2005), our programs aim to nurture holistic well-being of the participants. As an example, workshops focused on ‘Cultivating Emotional Intelligence’ aim to nurture participants’ skills to navigate intrapersonal and interpersonal challenges as well as promote greater self-compassion and social well-being. Similarly, our trainings on ‘Stress Management’ aim to empower teachers with strategies to prevent burnout and thus promote psychological. Wellbeing. The main premise is to focus on teacher well-being via diverse trainings as a path to promote positive school climate The discussion will focus on the strengths-based approach and peer learning that is facilitated through these sessions; equipping teachers (especially from underserved regions) with knowledge and skills to enhance their well-being.

Symposium Presentation 3: Creating Positive Classrooms

Presenter: Dr. Sneh Kapoor

An important domain of the larger teacher training program focusses on the creation of positive classrooms, that is, supplementing existing classroom practices – both academic and non academic – with positive psychology principles. Positive education, as posited by Seligman et al. (2009), refers to an attempt at bridging the gap between what stakeholders expect out of educational institutions, and what these institutions deliver. With a linear focus on academic success and achievement, educational institutions over the years have lost sight of the larger picture of growth – one substantiated by academic achievement fostered through positive mental health, wellbeing and holistic development (Kumar, 2021). While schools in India have seen a very welcome surge in psychological interventions over the last few decades, most of these interventions focus on academic enrichment and/or counselling for students struggling with mental health conditions, in a very piecemeal and crisis-response manner (Kumar, 2015). Through the Teacher Training Program, an attempt is made to expand the scope of these interventions from a remediative focus to a health promoting focus (Kumar, 2021) that benefits the entire student body. While the focus is on mental health skills, the attempt is not to disengage from academic achievement, but to posit good mental health as a natural step in the direction of academic success. To this end, this discussion will focus on both academically focussed and non-academic focussed training programs – ranging from creating inclusive classrooms, supporting neurodiverse students, incorporating wellbeing in teaching practice, among other sessions.

Symposium Presentation 4: Positive Leadership  

Presenter: Dr Kishor Adhikari 

Positive psychology is gaining popularity in a diverse area of practice. Application of positive habits and positive ways of dealing emotional and relational issues are being extensively studied. The results of such studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of positive approaches and indicated a greater prospect of its application. Leadership is one such example where the science of positive psychology is being exploited. Positive leadership can be characterised by an approach which aims to assist individuals and organisations to achieve their highest potential by implying positive practices. Accentuating the positive experiences and giving less attention to the negative aspects of things in general can be considered as positive practices. Positive leaders have an optimistic and entrepreneurial mindset (Youssef and Luthans, 2012), build a sense of trust (Mishra & Mishra, 2012), and create a perception of fairness (Mayer, 2012). Cultivation of positive leadership skills among educators is one of the themes of the Teachers Training Program initiated by Jindal Institute of Behavioural Sciences as a global outreach to the underprivileged in alignment with the United Nations SGD-4. This module applies the tenets of positive psychology to enhance leadership skills among teachers and educational leaders. It mostly draws upon the principles of Authentic Leadership Development (ALD) and Positive Organisational Leadership to empower educators to lead. The objectives of the program are two-fold; helping educators to lead organisation and classrooms to their highest potential, and to support the holistic education and enhancement of school wellbeing aimed by the overall outreach program. In this section of the symposium, theories, principles, and evidence-based practices which were being applied in the program will be discussed. Furthermore, the symposium will also discuss the structure, contents, and nature of the program and share some testimonials of the participants.