2.2 Conceptual Foundation of Happy Schools Framework

The conceptual foundations of happy school farmwork is based upon UNESCO’s mandate of four pillars i.e., learning to know, learning to live together, learning to do and learning to be. The two pillars, learning to live together and learning to be the significant basis of happy school farmwork. Learning to live together denotes understanding others and becoming good citizens of a society. Learning to be recognize the role of education in empowering learners to reach their highest potential. UNESCO stated that this happy school framework is made up of twenty-two indicators under three broad categories. The three basic categories are people, process and place. Under the people category, there are six constituents in the happy school framework. Under process, there are nine and place category, there are nine categories.

PEOPLE

In this first category of people, there are six constituents in the happy school framework. These are the most significant factors in building a happy school. These are:

• Friendships and Relationships in the School Community
• Respect for Diversity and Difference
•  Positive teacher attitude and attributes
•  Positive and Collaborative Values and Practices
• Teachers’ working conditions and wellbeing
• Teacher’s skills and competencies

Indicators:

• Friendships and Relationship in the School Community: Friendships and Relationship in the School Community refers to human and social relationships within the school community. The school community is school leaders, administrative staff, teachers, students and parents. Friendships and relationships are instituted through trust, respect and tolerance. Fostering healthy friendships and relationships within the school community contributes to a positive school culture, enhances the overall learning experience, and supports the holistic development of students. When these connections are nurtured with trust, respect, and tolerance, they create a foundation for a supportive and thriving educational environment.
• Respect for Diversity and Difference: This is a must for a happy school that respects diversity includes people from all backgrounds and treats them equally. There must be such type of influencing partnerships among family and community that can create an inclusive, caring, and culturally responsible community. If a school community adopts Cultural responsiveness, it means all people in the school community will respond respectfully to people of diverse cultures, languages, religions or other diversity factors. There must be a provision for encouraging participation in people of the school community where every person will communicate actively and empathetically with each other. There must be freedom of thought and expression in a very respectful manner. Mindfulness in language and behaviour must be there in the school community.
• Positive teacher attitude and attributes: A Happy Environment insists on a positive teacher attitude and attributes also. Evidence-based research states that fostering positive relationships between students and teachers generates a conducive classroom learning environment and looks after developmental, emotional and academic needs. These relationships signify traits of kindness, empathy, and fair-mindedness in the teacher’s role as a motivator and stimulator. Teachers are also visualized as being creative and happy role models for all. School Practices must encourage parental involvement, and foster positive interactions between students of diverse groups and grades. The community can be directly involved.
• Positive and Collaborative Values and Practices: While talking about Positive and Collaborative Values and Practices, the qualities of love, compassion, acceptance and respect can be promoted through various strategies. These can be in the form of visual reminders, posters and illustrations. There is a well-known concept of dual-purpose learning, a very popular word in educational endeavours. It means within the context of any subject or topic, along with cognitive aspects, schools should focus on enhancing values and competencies. There must be an emphasis on the quality of teaching and learning that can provide impact concerning local to global context.
• Teachers working conditions and well-being: Teachers’ working conditions and well-being is essential for retaining and attracting highly qualified educators. When teachers are well-supported and satisfied in their roles, they are more likely to provide high-quality education and have a positive impact on their students. It is a shared responsibility of educational institutions, policymakers, and communities to address these issues and create a supportive environment for teachers.

• Teacher’s skills and competencies: Teachers’ skills and competencies are fundamental to their effectiveness in the classroom and their ability to foster student learning and development. The skills and competencies required for teachers go beyond subject matter expertise and encompass a range of pedagogical, interpersonal, and organizational abilities. Here are some key teacher skills and competencies: Content Knowledge, Pedagogical Knowledge, Classroom Management etc. Continual development and support for teachers in these areas are essential for enhancing the quality of education.

   PROCESS:  

This category insists on the customs and traditions of teaching and learning environments that can promote the well-being of learners. It consists of nine indicators.

Indicators     

• Reasonable and fair workload to avoid imbalance
• Sense of accomplishments and achievements
• Extra-Curricular Activities and Engagements
• Learning as a team between students and teachers
• Mental wellbeing and Stress Management
• Learner freedom, Creativity and Engagement
• Useful, Relevant and Engaging Learning Content
• Fun and Engaging Teaching-Learning Approaches
• Teamwork and Collaborative Spirit
• Reasonable and fair workload to avoid an imbalance between study hours and Playtime. There must be a reasonable and fair workload to avoid an imbalance between study hours and Playtime. Students must be allowed to express their views and opinions and brave enough to learn without worrying about making mistakes.
• Sense of accomplishments and achievements: In Positive Psychology, achievement is a by-product of accomplishment. Achievements and accomplishments are instrumental to being a happy school. Accomplishments are near to personal satisfaction and lasting fulfilment. Schools must provide opportunities so that students learn to leverage their academic, social and emotional skills to achieve their personal and academic goals. Students tend to be proud of themselves, confident in their abilities and have a sense of achievement. Indeed, these feelings contribute to the enhancement of well-being. Closely. An achievement is a goal or purpose that has been achieved and an accomplishment is an initiative, or task that has been completed. This segment directly leads to social, and emotional learning skills and the well-being of the students
• Extra-Curricular Activities and Engagements: Extra-curricular activities are popularly known as four-class rooms activities just like reinforcers to apply academic skills in the context of real life. These can be the National Service Scheme (NSS), National Cadet Corps (NCC), sports club, fine arts and performing club, hobby club, eco club, Red Cross, science club, drama club etc. There must be engaging extra-curricular activities also for a happy school. Certainly! Extra-curricular activities can bring about both joyful and challenging experiences for individuals. These activities provide individuals with opportunities for personal growth, skill development, and social engagement, contributing to a well-rounded and fulfilling experience during their academic journey.
• Learning as a team between students and teachers: In a happy school framework, instructions that permit teachers to work with students as a team. When learning is paved as a team, there are chances to establish a positive learning environment. Team members under the leadership of the teacher set short-term and long-term goals. There are provisions to monitor progress, and schedule assignments and assessments. Learning as a team between students and teachers can lead to various positive and negative incidents, shaping the educational experience for both parties.
• Mental Well-being and Stress Management: Happy School framework aims to promote a supportive and inclusive work environment, including training and support for teachers and students helping those who have or are at risk of poor mental health. The “Happy School” framework is a comprehensive approach aimed at fostering a positive, supportive, and inclusive learning environment within educational institutions. This framework emphasizes the well-being and mental health of both students and teachers.
• Learner freedom, Creativity and Engagement:  There exits learner autonomy and freedom stated as learner-controlled instruction. This environment provides an opportunity for students to be creative. There are a lot of activities in the form of assignments, and assessments in the form of creative sparks that engage students for positive outcomes, Engaging assignments and assessments, designed as creative sparks, can significantly enhance student involvement, motivation, and overall positive outcomes.
• Useful, Relevant and Engaging Learning Content: There is useful, relevant and engaging content. It is purposeful in context with real-life situations. By ensuring that homework assignments encompass these characteristics, educators can make learning outside the classroom an enriching and enjoyable experience for students. Engaging and relevant homework not only reinforces learning but also contributes to a positive school environment and fosters a love for learning. n a happy school framework, prioritizing the creation and delivery of useful, relevant, and engaging learning content ensures that students are actively involved in their education. It cultivates a positive attitude toward learning, enhances academic achievement, and contributes significantly to the overall well-being and success of students within the school community.
• Fun and Engaging Teaching-Learning Approaches: Creating a fun and engaging teaching and learning environment is essential for fostering student enthusiasm and maximizing their educational experiences. For this, there must be wide opportunities to facilitate professional development opportunities and support services to the teachers. So that they will be able to provide flexible learning choices and paths for achieving quality education with a powerful approach to establishing a sense of belongingness between learner and teacher to enhance the learning experience. There must be the existence of such an environment where teachers can experiment, innovate and lead for future school leadership. By incorporating these fun and engaging teaching and learning approaches, educators can create dynamic, interactive, and stimulating learning environments that inspire students to be actively involved in their education. These approaches promote curiosity, critical thinking, and a positive attitude towards learning.
• Teamwork and Collaborative Spirit: Teamwork and a collaborative spirit are critical for achieving shared goals, solving complex problems, and fostering a positive and productive work environment. These qualities are not limited to professional settings but are also valuable in personal relationships and community involvement. These qualities encompass the ability to work effectively with others, share ideas, and jointly accomplish tasks and goals. Here are some key aspects of teamwork and a collaborative spirit as effective communication, trust and respect, shared goals, complementary skills, accountability, conflict resolution, shared resources, flexibility and adaptability, leadership and fellowship.

 PLACE: The third category place is defined as the school environment and atmosphere. It consists of seven indicators.

• Warm and Friendly Learning Environment
• Secure Environment Free from Bullying
• Open and Green Learning and Playing Spaces
• School Vision and Leadership
• Positive Discipline
• Good Health, Sanitation and Nutrition
• Democratic School Management

Indicators:

• Warm and Friendly Learning Environment: In essence, a warm and friendly learning environment encompasses emotional support, social cohesion, inclusivity, and relevant educational experiences. When these aspects are prioritized, students feel valued, safe, and inspired, fostering their happiness, well-being, and overall success in their educational journey.
• Secure Environment Free from Bullying: Creating a secure environment free from bullying is crucial for promoting a positive and healthy school culture. There must be bully free environment that encourages staff and students to use happiness and well-being-oriented teaching and learning practices and embraces diversity and inclusion. Teachers can take various initiatives to implement within their classrooms.
• Open and Green Learning and Playing Spaces: There must be open and green learning playing spaces. There must be provision of Good Health, Sanitation and Nutrition followed by democratic management. Open and green learning and playing spaces to enhance learner happiness and well-being. Suggested strategies include establishing relaxing and creative spaces, having a school garden, as well as making use of outdoor spaces so that learners can connect with nature while also engaging in investigative or physical learning activities.
• School Vision and Leadership: By aligning the school’s vision, mottos, or slogans with a focus on happiness, and by fostering strong leadership that champions well-being, schools can create a more positive and supportive environment where students and educators thrive. These efforts can contribute significantly to a culture that values happiness as a fundamental aspect of the educational experience.
• Positive Discipline: This includes improving the visual appeal of their classrooms, adding some green learning and natural light, incorporating positive discipline and preventing bullying and other forms of harassment.
• Good Health, Sanitation and Nutrition: Good health, sanitation, and nutrition are crucial aspects of a conducive school environment that fosters happiness among students. A healthy body and mind, along with a clean and safe physical environment, create the foundation for students to engage, learn, and socialize more effectively, ultimately leading to a happier school experience. Schools should prioritize these factors to ensure the well-being and happiness of their students. These are Physical well-being, mental well-being, sanitation, a Clean and safe environment, and Nutrition. This enhances students’ ability to succeed academically, which can lead to greater satisfaction and happiness in school.
• Democratic School Management: Democratic school management can play a significant role in promoting school happiness among students, teachers, and staff. The democratic approach to school management can contribute to a positive and joyful learning environment. It promotes a sense of agency, collaboration, and inclusivity among students, teachers, and staff. When individuals are actively involved in shaping their school environment and feel respected and valued, it can lead to increased happiness and overall satisfaction with the educational experience. This approach not only benefits the emotional well-being of the school community but can also lead to improved academic outcomes and a positive school culture. Inclusivity, Shared Governance, Transparency and Accountability, Empowerment and Participation are significant characteristics of democratic school management.

Conclusion:

Creating a happy school framework involves a comprehensive approach that prioritizes the well-being, positivity, and holistic development of all stakeholders within the educational community. Here’s a conclusive summary of the elements necessary for such a framework: