Each year the Five Oaks Academy faculty choses a book to read and study in an effort to improve overall awareness on a topic and explore ways to improve the educational experience for its students. This year, the faculty has chosen the book “Raising Happiness.” The author, Christine Carter, Ph.D and executive director of UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, recently did a keynote presentation at the “Learning and the Brain Conference” which was attended by Kathleen Trewhella-Grant, the Director of Five Oaks Academy.
In reference to the conference, Kathleen said, “The Learning and the Brain Conference was focused on educating attendees on how to use research-based brain science to nurture smarter, happier and healthier learners. The conference further highlighted the importance of mental health in learning and achievement and presented research demonstrating that providing an environment where students are happy and content can no longer just be considered something “nice” to work towards but rather a crucial building block in the education of a student. Happiness and one’s state of mind are an essential part of successful learning. At the conference, attendees learned about the connection between our brain’s ability to receive information and our emotional state. As a Montessori school, Five Oaks Academy has always put a huge emphasis on environmental comfort and teacher-student relationships to promote the happiness and educational success of our students.”
“True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new.”
– Antoine de Saint-Exupery
In the book “Raising Happiness,” Christine Carter draws on what psychology, sociology, and neuroscience have proven about confidence, gratefulness, and optimism, and using her own chaotic and often hilarious real-world adventures as a mom to demonstrate do’s and don’ts in action, she boils the process down to 10 simple happiness-inducing steps.
Five Oaks Academy invites all members of our community to join the faculty in this informative read as we look forward to having in-depth discussions about this book and the continue roll of happiness in the educational experience of our students.
