New Books in Education

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.

54:41

Episode guests

Kai Zhuang Shum

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Teaching positive psychology skills in schools can significantly improve student well-being and mental health outcomes by fostering resilience and coping strategies.

The PERMA model highlights essential elements that contribute to student flourishing, focusing on positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and achievement.

Deep dives

Addressing Youth Mental Health Needs

The rising concern for youth mental health is increasingly critical as emotional challenges among students have worsened over the past decade. Many students struggle to access mental health providers due to limited availability and lack of insurance coverage for such services. This situation highlights the importance of introducing preventive approaches within schools, which can serve as a natural setting for delivering mental health support. School psychologists advocate for a tiered model that allows all students, regardless of their mental health status, to learn resilience and coping skills early on, promoting better overall mental health outcomes.

Intro

2min

Empowering Minds: The Role of Positive Psychology in Schools

13min

The Impact of Complete Mental Health on Student Success

3min

Fostering Wellbeing in Middle Schoolers

21min

Building Hope Through Positive Psychology

4min

Building Resilience Through Positive Psychology

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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