Educators’ Perspectives in Implementing Positive Education

This study reports an investigation into the implementation of positive education in Hwa Chong Institution, Singapore, to promote well-being among its youths. Positive education, or the application of positive psychology in education, has been rapidly growing in schools internationally. Aligned with Singapore’s shift towards character and social-emotional development of students, several schools have embedded positive education practices into their student development initiatives. The study was interpretivist in nature, using a qualitative longitudinal case study methodology. The qualitative data included mainly individual semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, supported by document collection and classroom observation. The data were analysed using grounded theory coding techniques. The empirical findings reveal how the ways in which a school conceptualises and implements positive education impact teacher practice. The study has implications for the development of educators to better implement positive education to foster student well-being. In addition, it highlights leverage factors which schools seeking to undertake a whole school approach to positive education could utilise, and also areas they need to address in moving forward.