Should happiness be taught in schools?
September 2009

An interesting education focused debate took place earlier this year. The discussion was on whether or not ‘happiness’ should be taught in our educational institutions. We found the debate interesting because self/body acceptance and happiness are strongly promoted by our site.

Yes - Anthony Seldon: Master of Wellington college

The current educational system is focussed on obtaining results; A*s-Cs at GCSE and an equal performance in later education based examinations.

Is it possible that our educational system has a wider agenda? One aimed at developing the whole student and equipping them to know themselves and understand what they hope to achieve?  This wider educational focus provide leavers with certificates denoting their educational achievements and at the same time endows them with tools to help them embrace life and better handle whatever it throws at them.

The three main institutions that have the largest influence over our educational system are the government, universities and employers. The government is focused on showing statistical improvements via the annual exam results. Universities fight over the cream of the GCSEs - A-Levels crop. Employers wants are are not as clear.

These institutions while important, should not dictate the structure and goal of our educational system. Yes children need academic success in order to give them good employment opportunities, but this is only one aspect what what constitutes the 'whole' child. Other basic elements of an individual need to be developed in childhood and schools should play as significant role (otherwise they may never materialise). The basics in question are the child's personal, emotional, spiritual, logical, moral, creative, physical and social facets.
 
Schools should teach happiness:-
    i) to ensure that the knowledge is disseminated (only place to ensure the
    information is received by all).
 
    ii) to curb the alarming growth of unhappiness, anxiety & depression, stress,
    drinking, drug taking and self harming among students/young people.
 
    More than half the students who went for help at university counselling
    services in the 2006/2007 academic year did so for depression, compared
    with about a quarter in the 2003/2004.
   
     According to the Prince's Trust Youth Index Study (2009) One in ten 16- to
     25-year-olds said they felt that life was meaningless, and more than a
     quarter (27%) said they were always or often down or depressed. Almost
     half of all those surveyed (47%) said they were regularly stressed.
     The trust, which interviewed more than 2,000 young people across Britain,
     said the results were "alarming". Young people not in work, training or
     education were worst affected, the research found.
 
     Teaching the young how to live independent lives will reduce stress,
     depression and mental illness issues in later life.
 
    iii) to support Positive Psychology, which focuses on positive
    emotions and strengths-based character. Positive Psychology has been
    shown to work (American Psychologist).
 
    Martin Seligman's research has demonstrated that it is possible to be
    happier, to feel more satisfied, be more engaged with life, find more meaning,
    have higher hopes, and probably even laugh and smile more, regardless of
    one’s circumstances. Positive psychology interventions can also lastingly
    decrease depression symptoms.

What should children be thought? They should be thought about relationships, in the following order of importance:

  - Self : How to manage their mind, emotions and body. In addition the art of 
    developing an awareness of self and what makes them unique.
  - Others: How do develop and foster good relationships and how to avoid/let go
    of bad relationships.
  - Environment: How do organise and order their personal surroundings. e.g.
    possessions.
  - Technology: How to use it so that they are not manipulated by it.
 
British education is centred on attaining good exam results. It would be
far more beneficial if it focused on developing the whole person.

 

No - Frank Furedi:  Professor of sociology at the University of Kent

Recently, there has been a significant growth in the teaching of behavioural managements skills, focussed on "wellbeing", "emotional literacy" and "self-esteem". To date there is no evidence that behavioural managements lessons actually solves any of the problems it was created to rectify.

There is a saying that states 'As America goes, so does Britain'. When looking at the American obsession with therapy, where positive therapy is among the most popular classes at Harvard, it is not surprising to see that self help is now part of Britain's university and schools curriculums.

The evidence from schools is that educational programs, aimed at enhancing a child's self esteem, has not measurably raised their wellbeing. Further attempts to teach happiness in the hope of creating happy children will also fail. Far worse, the initial failure will birth a legacy of inward looking individuals; rather than individuals who are capable of fully participating in the outside world.

Perversely, the increase in the teaching of positive therapy in class, has coincided with an increase of mental health issues in children. Given the highly suggestible nature of children, no-one should be surprised. The more emotional support you provide the more they will ultimately seek.

The teaching of emotional stability should be viewed as a confession, by educators, that they are unable to resolve the real problems they face. These problems include the lack of educational aspirations and general unwillingness to put in the required interest and effort. Against this background, all endeavours should be on improving the educational outcomes; effort should not be diluted by non-academic lessons.

Traditionally, educators taught core academic subjects in a way that was meant to motivate students and help them build confidence and again happiness through their achievements. Happiness per se was never taught as an end in itself.

Anyone with life experiences will know that there are some things that cannot be taught; you have to experience them for yourself. Happiness is one of these things. It can only be experienced by fully involving oneself with life and the associated relationships and challenges it brings. This vital experience is something the education facilities cannot provide and thus they will not be able to effectively teach happiness.

When happiness is incorporated into the curriculum it loses it very essence. It is turned into an experience less, relationship less, government target based formula. This will intimately sidetrack educators and limit their ability to confront and deal with existing problems that severely undermine the education system.

Evidence suggests that teaching children and young adults that it is possible to be happy all the time, is at the very least unhelpful and at worst dangerous. Emotions of all types are a part of life. It is perfectly reasonable for someone to be unhappy about the circumstances in which they find themselves. May great innovations have be born out the the desire to improve conditions/overcome limitations. It would be a shame if the sole pursuit of happiness subdued this aspect of human nature.