Teaching With Positive Psychology Skills

Mar 6, 2025

Dr. Kai Zhuang Shum, a Nationally Certified School Psychologist and assistant professor at the University of Tennessee, shares her insights on positive psychology in education. She discusses the profound impact of fostering a positive outlook on student performance and mental health. Shum highlights successful programs promoting emotional resilience and well-being, emphasizing the role of initiatives like the PERMA model and culturally adapted interventions. Listeners will discover how integrating these principles can enhance hope and meaningful connections in school settings.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

Empowering Minds: The Role of Positive Psychology in Schools

01:34 • 13min

The Impact of Complete Mental Health on Student Success

14:17 • 3min

Fostering Wellbeing in Middle Schoolers

17:35 • 21min

Building Hope Through Positive Psychology

38:51 • 4min

Building Resilience Through Positive Psychology

42:45 • 10min

Studies show that students who have a positive outlook on their lives outperform students who don’t. Is positive thinking a skill? Can it be taught?

Our article is: “Teaching Positive Psychology Skills at school may be one way to help student mental health and happiness,” by Dr. Kai Zhuang Shum, published in The Conversation, which explores how the components of happiness and connection can be applied to classroom settings around the world. Amid the reduced access to mental health services for many students, and the rising rates of student stress and depression, researchers are finding that positive psychology interventions make a real difference. “Students who’ve been introduced to science-based ideas about happiness,” Dr. Shum writes, “feel more satisfied with life.” She joins us for this episode to explain more.

Our guest is: Dr. Kai Zhuang Shum, who is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) and a Licensed Psychologist. She serves as an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee Knoxville School Psychology Program. She specializes in positive psychology, motivation, anxiety (including OCD), attention, time management, and well-being (happiness).

Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator, producer and show host of the Academic Life podcast.

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