The PERMA model was designed by Martin Seligman (2011) with five core elements of psychological wellbeing and happiness. Seligman (2011) suggests that these five elements can help people reach a life of fulfillment, happiness, and meaning. This model has been applied to workplaces and schools through positive education to evidence programs to help people develop new cognitive and emotional tools or positive psychology strategies, to build wellbeing, optimism and resilience as well as allowing the reliable measurement of well-being, through a variety of methods, including with our students, valid self- report methodology. These positive psychology strategies include exercises like keeping a gratitude journal, breaking the hold of rumination, developing your strengths, and finding meaning in small tasks, and positive self-talk (McQuaid & Kern, 2019).
Each year, our QAHS wellbeing committee decides upon a pillar of PERMA for intentional development. Our 2024 wellbeing committee has gifted 'Accomplishment' for our 2025 focus. Accomplishment refers to the belief and ability to do things that matter most to us. From a wellbeing perspective, it is often the small, subjective wins that matter most. Big achievements feel satisfying- they offer peak experiences and defining moments; however, the glow can quickly fade and we often start searching for something bigger and better.
Professor Carol Dweck of Stanford University suggests that when it comes to accomplishing things that matter most to you, more important than your abilities is the belief that you can improve. Motivation and effort provide the foundation to small increments of improvement. This is not to say that talent does not matter. Talent and our natural abilities define the range of what might be possible, but they do not guarantee our personal success. Duckworth (2007) suggests grit, the combination of passion and perseverance with talent is the key to achieving personal long-term goals.
Gritty people have a deep underlying belief that with effort, practice and the willingness to learn, they can always improve. They focus on what they can control, and instead of setting performance goals for their desired outcomes, they prioritize their learning goals that highlight the skills they need to have the best chance of producing their desired results. This boosts confidence to take on new challenges, to learn from criticism and feedback, to see failure as a teachable moment. Dweck (2006) describes this as growth mindset- I am not there yet!
Neff (2011) suggests that when your efforts to learn and accomplish the things that matter most to you do not go as planned, your brain is wired to protect you from pain and tries to attack the source of the problem. In this instance it can fire up your inner critic and feelings of self-doubt by telling stories as about why your efforts are not working and attempts to disengage your motivation and effort. Over time this can heighten stress and anxiety and undermine confidence. As a result, studies have shown that self-compassion helps generate more positive feelings that balance fears, allowing us to feel more joyful calm and confident. By activating the brain's caregiving and self-awareness systems, it makes it easier to believe that we are capable and worthy of achieving, and less likely compare ourselves to others (Neff, 2003). Strategies to assist with this include adopting positive self talk/ daily mantras, being kind to ourselves and taking time to reflect upon and celebrate the great work we have completed. The deliberate use of soft compassionate self talk has been found to be an effective means of enhancing motivation, performance and resilience (Neff, 2011).
In addition discovering our strengths can boost our optimism and self-belief allowing us to feel more confident and reach our highest potential. All QAHS staff and students have the opportunity to identify and utilize their character strengths whilst embodying the IB Learner profile. At QAHS all community members take the Values In Action Survey at www.viacharacter.org. to discover their strengths. When our strengths are in action, we feel engaged, energized and able to enjoy what we are doing- we feel we have meaning and purpose. Spotting strengths in others can assist us to see the best in those around us and feel grounded in our community.
Throughout the wellbeing focus of Accomplishment, the QAHS community will have opportunities to engage in a range of strategies to intentionally boost our wellbeing pillar of accomplishment. Please see below the Infographic which outlines our toolkit for 2025 Amplifying Accomplishment, so that our community each day, can be their best possible selves.
Alita Lee
Deputy Principal