Students think and talk about happiness all of the time. Some believe happiness is something we control and that if we just do the right things we will become happy. There are others who think of happiness as a byproduct of a good environment and not something we can control. The issue of whether we control our happiness is an important one because it determines whether or not a student develops a healthy capacity for self-motivation and goal-setting.
During my unit on the Revolutionary War, students always enjoy learning about the treasonous history of Benedict Arnold. After walking students through the actions that made Benedict Arnold a household name synonymous with “traitor,” I would present the Aristotle conversation …
When reading Aesop’s Fables with my students, I would use the fable, “The Donkey, The Fox, and The Lion” to teach my students about friendship and betrayal. Before reading the fable, I would introduce this concept by having a discussion …
Emerging research about the psychology behind altruism offer an interesting lens through which students can examine the happiness attained throughout selflessness. I would start this lesson by discussing the Booker T. Washington conversation about happiness, and ask students to share …
I love to use Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol to teach students about the happiness derived from helping and serving others. This is a great unit to teach around the holidays, if culturally appropriate, and to even include film clips …
Happiness is something all students want. The challenge is always how to get it. Students often get mixed messages here; on the one hand, they are told to focus on themselves and figure out a path towards happiness that benefits them directly. On the other hand, they are told that happiness can only be achieved by helping others. The choices they make in the quest for happiness shape their characters in profound ways.
Happiness is one those concepts that students talk and think about a lot, but rarely define. They are encouraged to motivate themselves to set goals to achieve happiness but the path is never laid out with any clarity. Reflecting on what happiness actually is can help students become more self-aware of what they value in life.
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