SOULTales - Stories,Character Strengths,Vocabulary

Welcome to a new muse for my Soul. Stories that act as triggers to talk about character strengths in children and us. Simple, yet profound. These stories have been told over the ages by many. But I aim to provide fresh perspective while telling them in this new space I have created.
Words are powerful tools for growth and stories create a garland of words that are strung together for us to wear and celebrate.
I am inspired by a Coursera Mooc that I did.
Here is a link if you are interested.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/teaching-character/home

Character Strengths came out of a study by famous Wellness Psychologist Martin Seligman.  His journey through this is field comes with a legendary story. He invented the word Positive Psychology, but a question raised by one of his students on such a uni-dimensional nomenclature of happiness led to an entire new and larger, grander umbrella of study called Wellness Psychology. 
He then went on to identify and classify the character strengths that one requires to lead a happy life. This has been the muse for many Teachers, Psychologists and Educationists who have taken his study into the classroom and work space.

The Character Strengths are broadly classified into 5

wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance and transcendence 

I will put together Stories and Vocabulary that will help develop these character strengths. The stories need to be told and a conversation, discussion, role play or active expression of thoughts post story to be facilitated.

Stories are sourced by me.These stories will be pan India - Asia as far as possible.
All information about Character Strengths is sourced from VIA
http://www.viacharacter.org/resources/building-a-strengths-vocab/

Looking forward

~sowmya


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Integrity - The 3 Diamonds - Tamil folktale

Image
Integrity - Is being true to ourselves. Only if we are true with ourselves can we aim to be true to others. So there is  a big element of Self Awareness and Self Respect involved in this. Only if we have this character strength will others trust us. Integrity is about walking the talk! http://www.wisdomcommons.org/virtue/76-integrity/parables Folktales have handled Integrity in many ways - cautionary tales that tell you what happens when Integrity is lost. Some tales use sacrifice to illustrate Integrity, where the Hero/ Heroine have to give up something in order to keep their word. Some wonderful tales such as Punyakoti the Cow and Arputha the Tiger. Though the original version tells us that the tiger jumped off a cliff and sacrificed himself, in order to atone for his sin of desiring such a  virtuous cow as Punyakoti, others have adapted this tale (called as disordered narrative), to have the tiger let go of the cow, in peace. Another tale is the Boiled Seeds ( Empty Pot stor
Read more

Perspective - The Rose Bush and the Snail (HCAnderson)

Image
The Rose Bush & the Snail - by Hans Christian Anderson A hedge of hazel-nut bushes encircled the garden;  but in the centre of the garden stood a rose-tree, and under it sat a snail--she had much within her, she had herself. "Wait, until my time comes," said she, "I shall accomplish something more than putting forth roses, bearing nuts, or giving milk, like the cows and sheep!" "I expect something fearfully grand," said the rose-tree, "may I ask when it will take place?" "I shall take my time," said the snail, "you are in too great a hurry, and when that is the case, how can one's expectations be fulfilled?" The next year the snail lay in about the same spot under the rose-tree, which put forth buds and developed roses, ever fresh, ever new. The snail half crept forth, stretched out its feelers and drew itself in again. "Everything looks as it did a year ago! No progress has been made; the r
Read more

Just another day for you and me in Paradise - poem

Image
    Pic - Fishes in a lake - they stay away from the sides fearing birds, all cramped together. Suddenly one fish flips to it's back and dies! - Oh just an ordinary day in our LIFE!   Greed arrives in many forms, bearing gifts of clothes, jewels and food. I fail to resist and welcome them with eager desire. Ill will is a hazy person occupying my nether worlds, showing up at places and at times, that doesn't justify their presence. Sloth and Torpor are twins who live with me, I feed them everyday with procrastination. Restlessness and Remorse are cousins who visit me at times, inviting me to their games. I join them without thinking and regret in silence. Doubt, Oh Dithering as we may also call them, comes uninvited and occupies my mind. I don't know why I allow them to stay, even when I know that they are not wanted. Struggling with all these Unwanted Guests to my abode, I finally decided to invite Meditation and Mindfulness and they as guides are sending my unwanted guests
Read more