At Lab School Paris, we firmly believe that happiness can go hand in hand with learning and teaching. For several years now, we've been actively involved in the Happiness at School Week, a highlight of the school year that invites teaching teams to place the well-being of students and teachers at the heart of classroom life.
Initiated in 2020 by Cergy University's BONHEURS laboratory, the Happiness at School Week takes place every year around March 20, on the International Day of Happiness. It offers a much-needed breath of fresh air to experiment, collaborate, and imagine together the school we dream of: a place of self-fulfillment, harmonious relationships and sustainable learning.
Why set up a Happiness at School Week in your school?
Because a happy school is, above all, a school where everyone finds their place, develops their social and emotional skills, and learns to grow with others. Studies show that when well-being is valued, pupils do better, and teachers take more pleasure in their work.
By working on themes such as assertiveness, empathic listening, gratitude and emotional regulation, we not only foster a better school climate, but also more effective learning and more serene relationships between peers and adults.
A booklet designed by committed experts
The Happiness at School Week booklet is the result of a collective effort initiated in 2022, coordinated by Pascale Haag, researcher at EHESS and founder of the Lab School Network, and Laure Reynaud, co-founder of ScholaVie and specialist in the development of psychosocial skills. Surrounded by a committed team of teachers, researchers and professionals in the fields of education and psychology, they have brought together a variety of research-based resources to offer schools a rich, concrete and evolving tool.
A ready-to-use booklet for taking action
To support you, we've designed a free booklet, the fruit of a collective effort, enriched each year with contributions from teachers, researchers and committed practitioners. This guide offers you over 40 practical, adaptable activities, based on 12 major themes that promote well-being and living together at school. Designed to be adapted to all levels, from kindergarten to high school, the booklet invites you to explore key concepts such as self-awareness, empathic listening, gratitude and emotion regulation, through simple, accessible suggestions. You'll find ideas for creative workshops, cooperative games and classroom rituals, as well as individual and group challenges that encourage students' active participation.
One of the major assets of this booklet is its flexibility: it's not a fixed program, but a real toolbox from which everyone can pick and choose according to their desires, available time or current energy. Whether you want to organize an entire week dedicated to happiness, or gradually integrate these activities into your daily classroom routine, anything is possible!
And because well-being at school is also cultivated outside the classroom, certain activities invite you to involve the whole educational community, from parents to other members of the teaching team, to extend this positive dynamic to the whole school.
How can you get involved?
➡️ Pick the activities that inspire you
➡️ Get started from March 17 to 21 (or any time of the year!)
And above all, share your feedback, ideas and successes with the educational community! Together, let's spread happiness at school.
Want to go further?
Find even more inspiration and practical advice on our YouTube channel and help grow the happiness movement at school, so that students and teaching teams can flourish in a serene, joyful and stimulating environment.
Let's build, step by step, schools where we learn with joy, grow with cooperation and where well-being is not a luxury, but a genuine educational objective.
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