Course Schedule

Core Activities

Day 1: Introduction to STPM and building connections

Begin with an active introduction to the STPM approach, highlighting Iceland’s innovation in education, sustainability, and technology.   Introduce digital tools for sharing resources.  Explore Iceland’s unique cultural and educational heritage through "The Icelandic Corner" and connect with new European colleagues through engaging ice breaking activities and a relaxed social event.

Day 2: 

Foundations of Positive Psychology (PS)

Discover the principles and methods of Positive Psychology, a science-based approach to enhancing well-being and happiness using the PERMA model as a guiding framework. Learn the importance of creating healthy habits and explore key benefits, including increased happiness, calmness, nurturing well-being, and boosting mutual respect. This course day provides practical insights to foster a supportive and positive classroom environment while empowering teachers to take meaningful, positive action for their own well-being and growth. It also introduces mindfulness and breathwork as effective tools for stress management.

Day 3: 

Discovering and developing character strengths

Explore your unique character strengths and learn how to harness them to boost happiness, motivation, and personal well-being. Engage with practical tools and strategies to help your students identify their own strengths, build a skill bank, and set meaningful, motivating goals that boost confidence and growth.

Implementing Mindfulness with "Now Minutes" – an Icelandic approach

Using the Icelandic concept of "Now Minutes," learn step by step how to implement mindfulness, meditation, and calming activities into daily classroom routines. Discover how calm activities can also be integrated with academic objectives to create a balanced and focused learning environment.

Day 4:

Insights into Icelandic education and sustainability

Visit one of Reykjavík’s newest schools, integrating kindergarten, primary, and secondary education. Discover how practical and academic subjects are equally valued, inclusion is a priority, and well-being is integrated into the curriculum.   Witness how outdoor activities rooted in Icelandic heritage build resilience. Explore how democracy and sustainability thinking shape the school community in a positive way.

Day 5:

Value checking and visual goal-setting

Gain clarity on your core values through simple, reflective exercises that highlight what truly matters to you. Explore the difference between values and goals and understand how aligning them can positively impact well-being and motivation. Discover how visual tools, such as vision boards and other creative visuals, can reinforce commitment, keep goals in focus, and inspire consistent action toward personal and professional growth.

Sharing inclusive practices - A European Dimension

Share and be inspired by positive practices in a collaborative session where participants exchange successful classroom activities and ideas from schools all over Europe.

Day 6: 

Developing emotional vocabulary and positive classroom interventions

Discover the power of emotional vocabulary as a key tool for understanding and managing emotions. Engage in role play and core movement games that introduce and provide opportunities to explore emotions and encourage meaningful discussions in a safe and supportive setting. Experiment with small interventions that can shift mindsets and improve physical and emotional well-being.

The positive classroom action plan

Using digital collaboration tools, create an actionable plan to implement positive interventions in your teaching practice. Select specific strategies that align with your goals and define short-, medium-, and long-term actions to promote engagement, resilience, and focus in your classroom. Strengthen your commitment through collaborative discussions and shared intentions, and conclude with course evaluation and feedback to ensure clarity and direction moving forward.

Day 7:

Thermal Wellness, Geothermal Sustainability and Reflective Practice

Participants begin with a short seminar on Icelandic thermal bathing traditions, exploring the role of geothermal energy, sustainability, wellbeing, equality, and screen-free social connection in Icelandic culture. The day continues with a guided visit to a local thermal swimming pool and hot tubs, where participants experience an important aspect of Icelandic daily life: gathering together in warm geothermal waters despite the cold outdoor climate, engaging in open conversation where every voice is valued, and learning about local customs of hygiene, trust, and shared social spaces, including the longstanding tradition of showering thoroughly without swimwear before entering the pools. Structured reflection and mindfulness activities encourage participants to connect these experiences to the course themes and their own personal and professional development.