need to teach happiness while at school, while individuals are still having their characters and habits formed. It is much harder to acquire good habits later in life. So in what will the lessons consist? These will not be lessons like history or physics, where it is primarily the intellect involved, and where the acquisition of knowledge is all important. This is about emotional learning and emotional intelligence, and is a far more reflective activity then traditional classes. Pupils will learn about how to form healthy and sustaining relationships. They will gain understanding about the goals they should want to set in life, which should be realistic and appropriate for their own talents and interests. The negative emotions which are an inevitable part of life will be explored: pupils will be able to learn more about what it is that causes them pain and unhappiness, how they might be able to avoid or minimise these emotions and how to deal with them when they do occur. So the essence is that pupils learn more about themselves, which will be information which they will be able to use for the rest of their lives.
In fact some of this is covered in state school in PSE [Personal and Social Education] in which pastoral tutors tend to be involved. Still, so much of that relates to things about life coaching and even pastoral work, it will be good to be involved in 'delivering' it.
The article has a handy guide to famous thinkers on the matter, and the summary on Augustine of Hippo says:
Happiness lies in the possession of an invulnerable good, which cannot be lost to ill fortune, according to St Augustine. The only good in the universe of such strength, in his view, is God. Therefore happiness lies in the "vision of" or "union with" God. This necessitates living a moral life.
I'd go along with that, it seems to come straight out of the sermon on the mount.
Independent Online Edition > News: Filed in: happiness, education, philosophy, religion, faith
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