Day 1 -- January 16 (first class)

Image result for happiness is a mood positivity is a mindset

Welcome to Positive Psychology!
Day 1

Spring 2020
Bingham Hall 107
Mondays and Thursdays, 10:10-12:10
Instructor: Kirsten Holmstedt (see the syllabus for contact information).

Blog Address: This class is outlined using a blog. The blog will house important lesson information and live links to class handouts.
Address: pospsychspring2020.blogspot.com

Binder set-up:
Place syllabus in binder. Then, make three tabs: Class Hand-outs, Assignments, and Journal. Please keep a small amount of white lined paper under the journal tab in your binder. Come to the next class (next Thursday) with your binder set up.

Syllabus: Click here for our class Syllabus if you should lose yours. 

Class Daily Schedule: Daily Schedule We will follow this schedule every day. We request that you adhere to the times noted as we will try our hardest to do the same.

Activity #1: (20 minutes)
Daily Journal Writing: This is not a private journal so I recommend that you do not write anything that is deeply personal. You will not be graded per se, but your participation in the journaling process will count toward class participation. Each class you will be given a journal entry. Please write in response to the prompt. I encourage you to use colored pencils to personalize the page with drawings/doodlings.

1st Journal Prompt: What, in your opinion, is your most prevalent character strength? Provide an example of when you had to use this strength. 

 What are you expecting out of this class? What is something you are looking forward to?  What are you nervous about?

Break

Activity #3  KWL Graphic:   

What is Positive Psychology?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qJvS8v0TTI

 We will watch this short video twice. After the second time, be prepared to share something that you learned from the video with your classmates.

What is Positive Psychology   

"Positive psychology is the scientific study of what makes life most worth living."
  • A scientific approach to studying human thoughts, feelings, and behavior with a focus on strengths instead of weakness,
  • Building the good in life instead of repairing the bad
  • Taking the lives of average people up to “great” instead of focusing solely on moving those who are struggling up to “normal” 
  • Focuses on the positives in life as a way of influencing it for the better such as: 
  • Positive experiences like happiness, joy, inspiration, and love
  • Positive states and traits like resilience, gratitude, and compassion
  • Applying positive principals at school and in life
positive quotes positivity always wins gary vaynerchuk wisdom

 History of Positive Psychology
  • Search for well-being always in pursuit by human kind
  • Has become a very popular college course
  • Only around for the past 15 or so years
  • Courses at different institutions vary from place to place - no one can decide on what exactly should be in a textbook
  • Welcome to our version of positive psychology!

Video

   

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