Character Strengths

At Hannans, we use the 24 VIA Character Strengths as part of a positive education. Character strengths impact how we think, feel and behave and it is used at Hannans to give students the skills and resources to enable growth and development. The 24 character strengths include:

Creativity
Curiosity
Judgment
Love of Learning
Perspective
Bravery
Perseverance
Honesty
Zest
Love
Kindness
Social Intelligence
Teamwork
Fairness
Leadership
Forgiveness
Humility
Prudence
Self-Regulation
Appreciation of beauty and excellence
Gratitude
Hope
Humour
Spirituality

As a school who uses these character strengths, all teaching and non teaching staff take on the learn it, live it, teach it and embed it approach. Once staff have gained knowledge about these strengths and have explored these elements of the science of positive psychology, we demonstrate how students can achieve these strengths through role modelling. We foster growth mindsets; incorporating brief pauses of mindfulness into classrooms; promoting a sense of gratitude and focusing on effective feedback such as praise. These teachings become so common that it is embedded into everyday tasks where it becomes second nature. These strengths are effective for students’ well-being by creating a more positive classroom culture and assisting in guiding students to develop success, tolerance, gratification and diversity.

VIA Character Strengths website: https://www.viacharacter.org/character-strengths-via