subject happiness

“We are what we think. All that we are arises with our

thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.”

Hindu Prince Siddharta Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C. (Buddha)

How it all began…

GERMAN FLA- PROJECT 2012 ‘‘SUBJECT HAPPINESS- FOR GERMAN STUDENTS

ONLY!?’’

Today‘s homework: Simply being happy!

- How a new subject changed German schools… and what about YOU?

‘‘Subject Happiness‘‘- for German students only?

JOIN

NOW

…and what about YOU?

BENEFITS: combine the obligatory with fun (CAS suitable), meet the initiator himself, experience ``subject happiness`` in a German classroom …

LEARN TO BE HAPPY!!!

PROJECT: Sixth former and IB student? What are you waiting for? we meet in classroom G Kennicott on 13 December 2011 during lunch time break for further information learn more about it and get involved in a psychological, schooldevelopmental, cultural and linguistic project in whatever way you like (arts, media, sports, language, presentations …) in the long run we might organise a discussion with experts and an exchange with German students

FACT: students are the least happy at the dentist‘s - and at school

SOLUTION: ``Subject Happiness``

learn life skills with fun develop creativity while

solving tasks take over responsibility win people over resolve conflicts discover and experience

interests and talents develop health

consciousness …

CONTACT PERSONS: Ms Anna Löffler-Gutmann (German FLA & FLA Ambassador, Redworth library)Mr Troake (Psychology, Kennicott room G)

What we made of it…


ONLY!?’’

Today‘s homework: Simply being happy!

- How a new subject changed German schools

‘‘Subject Happiness‘‘- for German students only?

at KEVICC

…and us !?!

BENEFITS: combine the obligatory with fun (CAS suitable), talk to the initiator himself, experience ``subject happiness``, virtual exchange with German students … Learn more about

yourself and BE HAPPY!!!

Very enthusiastic and committed year 12 IB students have been meeting during lunch break once a week since December 2011 to learn both about their own idea of happiness and the subject curriculum in Germany.

Not only do they get involved in psychological, schooldevelopmental, cultural and linguistic projects but also they create and present their own projects matched with the curricular units, e.g. ‘‘Body in motion‘‘, in various creative ways (arts, media, sports, literature etc.) while using English/German literary sources.

Also, we will hold a videoconference with the subject‘s initiator in April/May 2012 and we have our own closed forum online to have a virtual exchange with German students who are familiar with the subject and the methods we have tested ourselves with.


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Experiencing ‘’Subject Happiness’’…

- Methods : ‘‘Happiness in action‘‘

- Discussion & Evaluation

- Virtual communication & Videoconference ...

Back on

Back

Warm Shower

Plateau line-up




Aim –

Sticking point

- Strength

Thumb focus

Warm back




Public person (Öffentliche Person)

Blind spot (Blinder Fleck)

My secret (Mein Geheimnis)

Unconscious knowledge (Unbewusstes Wissen)

JoHari-Window ME Known Unknown Known

OTHERS

Unknown

(Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham, 1955; Fritz-Schubert Institute, Heidelberg)

‘’Das kleine Glück’’ (Enjoying life)

‘‘The little moments of happiness‘‘

(short meditation exercise which can be used in your daily life)

My Biography

Birth NOW Future???

Elementary/ primary school

A-Levels

Studiying in Munich

Work experience andimproving language skills: England

- Hard to find internshipplaces …

? Where and whatexactly do I want tostudy?

+ Project ‚‘SubjectHappiness‘‘

School Exchange to Upminster: Vicky , friend for a lifetime

? Counsellingin educationalpsychology

Hardwork,+ family, friends

New town, new place,New friends, new life +

Hard work -+, degree

…???

Cornwall +++

London +++

Vienna +++


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What we think about it…

FLA- PROJECT 2012 ‘‘SUBJECT HAPPINESS- FOR GERMAN STUDENTS ONLY!?‘‘ ANNA LÖFFLER-GUTMANN 23. Januar 2012

Reflection and Discussion I (e.g. Enjoying life)

How did you feel yourself while testing the methods?

Which methods can you remember and which one is your favourite so far and why?

What did you learn about yourself?

Do you think these methods and their results are useful in your daily life and can the methods contribute to a more enjoyable life?

Preparation for international exchange

(psychological, linguistic, cultural & schooldevelopmental aspect)

What would you like to ask the initiator about this concept of the first lessons of ‘’subject happiness’’? (positive/negative criticism etc.)

What would you like to know from the students in Germany? What could you talk about against this background and your personal experience?


‘’I joined this project not really knowing what it was and therefore thought I wouldn't stay long or enjoy it. However, I was really quite surprised at what happiness is and what techniques we can use to explore it. My favourite technique so far was the 'Warm Back' for I can now become easily happy by looking at what my lovely friends have written about me! I really do enjoy learning about happiness!‘‘ :D – Ruby Ritter

,,Ich fand es sehr interessant, dass

es ein Fach gibt, das ''Glück'' heißt.

Ich habe noch nie davon gehört und

als ich mitgemacht habe, fand ich es

sehr interessant und spannend. Es

hat mir Spaß gemacht mitzumachen

und Glück aus vielen anderen

Perspektiven zu sehen.'' – Lisa

"I think that this project is interesting because

instead of learning intellectual skills we learn

something useful for our personal life. I hope to

learn methods to be happy and to learn how to help

others, and so far, the methods seem quite

interesting and might help me and others in the

future. It has been useful for me to get to know what

happiness means for other people in the group, and

in this way, understand their way of thinking better

than I used to do." - Alba Z.

"I decided to take part in the project because I thought it was

a good idea that something was being done about happiness

in schools, and in general. I'm not yet sure that adding this

subject is the solution to happiness in school but it seems it

would definitely help with general levels of happiness. Some

of the methods seem useful as they are but I think most we

have tried so far would have to be adapted for individual use

outside of lessons; most of the concepts seem useful, though.

I like how individuality in happiness is encouraged, I think

this helps reduce how much we seek it outside ourselves but

at the same time we also gain an understanding of how a

group could become happier." – Brooke Smith


‘’I started going to this project because I want to find

out more about how happiness is taught and discuss

what people think make people happier. I don’t really

expect many things! But I do expect learning about lots

of different things that make people happy! I can

remember the exercise when we closed our eyes and

thought about a moment of happiness in the past. I

liked this activity very much! From past exercises, I

have learnt that people think I am very strong

(mentally, physically, etc.) and that people think I am

clever! Over the course of this project, I have learnt

about different ways to make me happy and have got

even more interested in the ‘’Subject Happiness’’!’’

–Tim Walpot

‘’I took part in it as I wanted to find out more about the subject. I didn’t have many expectations really. I really liked the method where we wrote on each other’s backs. I think it’s important for people to feel valued in life and that makes them happy but also it’s great to be able to tell someone how you feel about someone as it’s often quite hard. I think it would be good to include it in English Curriculum. The methods seem good but only if it was taken seriously.’’ – Hope

‘’I started this course, project, because I wanted to find out more

about the subject and how it’s taught. I enjoy the happiness

lessons because they are different to other subjects and allow me

to reflect on my life and make things better. The first exercise we

did ‘’Das kleine Glück’’ worked very well for me, I imagined a

happy moment in my life and when I described it, it made me

happy within my heart. A smile crossed my face.’’ - Brechje

What do YOU think about it…


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!?

+

-

CAN YOU LE

ARN

TO BE HAPPY?

What the expert says...


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‘‘Subject Happiuess- for German students only!?‘‘

‘’Never before have there been as many problematic children as we see today. Our children are said to be hyperactive, aggressive, striving to become top model or superstar or they are hiding under their mother’s apron strings. But are we really surrounded by small tyrants and anxious people who stay in the family home forever? No, states Ernst Fritz-Schubert. We are far too focused on their supposed problems fearing that they might fail in today’s meritocracy. But if one only holds their weaknesses against them they will become unhappy and demotivated. Fritz-Schubert advocates for a radical change in thinking and therefore offers a new pedagogical approach: the happiness of our children must have priority. Whoever knows a lot about oneself, who learns to build one’s strengths and to work to improve one’s weaknesses will learn to be happy. Even in difficult situations in life you would be crisis-proof.’’

Happiness can be learned- what gives children life’s strengthGlück kann man lernen-Was Kinder stark fürs Leben macht (Ernst Fritz-Schubert, Berlin 2010)

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