Greater Good Education

Greater Good Education Building kinder, happier schools where everyone belongs. Sharing practices + resources for educators from the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley

Over the last 20 years, our scientific understanding of human development has skyrocketed—and it’s creating a paradigm shift in how we educate our children. Scientists are now suggesting that cognitive development is only 50 percent of the education equation. The other half is social and emotional development. Research reveals that developing students’ social and emotional intelligence improves th

eir academic achievement and emotional well-being. At the Greater Good Science Center, we go one step further: We believe that cultivating positive qualities such as compassion, happiness, gratitude, and mindfulness will lead to a wider transformation, as children mature into young adults who place care, empathy, and social connection at the center of their lives and society. Studies suggest that the seeds of these positive qualities are present from early in life; we often just need the right factors to nurture them. One of the most important factors is a caring teacher, who can model these qualities and weave them into their lessons. Indeed, one of the keys to successfully implementing social-emotional learning (SEL) programs in schools is the degree to which teachers and school leaders understand the value of SEL and develop their own social and emotional intelligence. Yet studies show that both teachers and school leaders are burning out, unable to tend to their own well-being, let alone that of the students. It’s little wonder why: Not only is their work enormously stressful but, as a recent report discovered, most education professionals receive little to no training in SEL. However, 83 percent of them want it. The Greater Good Science Center is helping to fill this gap.

Teaching is challenging! And sometimes it’s just easier to notice the negative, even when there is so much good happenin...
06/17/2026

Teaching is challenging! And sometimes it’s just easier to notice the negative, even when there is so much good happening around us. “Stories of Moral Beauty” is a Greater Good in Education practice that challenges negativity bias and contributes to a positive school culture by helping staff members to recognize inspiring actions by their colleagues and students that might have otherwise gone overlooked. Through this practice, educators notice and acknowledge acts of moral beauty performed by students and staff, sharing them at the beginning or end of a staff meeting. This practice can be adapted with students to build a positive classroom culture.

Comment “BEAUTY” for a link to the practice, and check out the Greater Good in Education Resource Hub for more free practices like this one. Thank you for all you do, educators!

In a recent Greater Good Magazine article, Aran Levasseur invites educators to reconsider - or return - to the essential...
06/12/2026

In a recent Greater Good Magazine article, Aran Levasseur invites educators to reconsider - or return - to the essential purpose of education. Levasseur argues that in the age of AI, “what remains is a deeper choice: continue treating education primarily as a preparation for the workforce, or reimagine education as the cultivation of judgment, purpose, and the capacity to think and choose well in a world where productivity is no longer the defining measure of human value.”

Comment “purpose” for a link to the article, “What is Education for in the Age of Artificial Intelligence?” You can find more free articles about the latest science on flourishing in education in Greater Good Magazine, and practices for strengthening keys to well-being in schools on the Greater Good in Education resource hub.

Thank you for all you do, educators! Happy summer!

Happy (almost) summer educators! This June, explore practices to slow down and connect. Grab a link to the calendar in o...
06/03/2026

Happy (almost) summer educators! This June, explore practices to slow down and connect.

Grab a link to the calendar in our bio or at bit.ly/june2026calendar

Comment “SHARED” for a free download of the June 6 practice, “Shared Identity.”

Thank you for all you do!

Dear Educators, As you reflect on the past year, please make sure to give yourself some grace. You did so many things we...
05/29/2026

Dear Educators,
As you reflect on the past year, please make sure to give yourself some grace. You did so many things well, and you learned so much from the challenges. The research is on your side for being kind to yourself…

Studies indicate that people who practice loving-kindness for just a few weeks can experience an increase in self-compassion and positive emotions, and relief from depression, anxiety, and chronic pain (Shahar et al, 2014; Zeng et al, 2015; Graser & Stangier, 2018). In addition, practicing loving-kindness toward yourself is one of the most effective ways for increasing empathy and compassion for others (Boellinghaus, Jones & Hutton, 2012; Klimecki et al, 2013).

So, as you reflect, remember to be gentle on your heart and mind. You have done a tremendous job this year.

If you’d like a specific activity to practice loving-kindness, comment “Love” for a link. This free practice and hundreds more to can be found on our virtual resource hub, Greater Good in Education (link in bio). Thank you for all you do!

Dear Educators, As you reflect on the past year, please make sure to give yourself some grace. You did so many things we...
05/29/2026

Dear Educators,
As you reflect on the past year, please make sure to give yourself some grace. You did so many things well, and you learned so much from the challenges. The research is on your side for being kind to yourself…

Studies indicate that people who practice loving-kindness for just a few weeks can experience an increase in self-compassion and positive emotions, and relief from depression, anxiety, and chronic pain (Shahar et al, 2014; Zeng et al, 2015; Graser & Stangier, 2018). In addition, practicing loving-kindness toward yourself is one of the most effective ways for increasing empathy and compassion for others (Boellinghaus, Jones & Hutton, 2012; Klimecki et al, 2013).

So, as you reflect, remember to be gentle on your heart and mind. You have done a tremendous job this year.

If you’d like a specific activity to practice loving-kindness, comment “Love” for a link. This free practice and hundreds more to can be found on our resource hub, Greater Good in Education (link in bio). Thank you for all you do!

5 Takeaways from our April Community Meeting: Centering Well-being for Neurodivergent Students1. Centering well-being fo...
05/15/2026

5 Takeaways from our April Community Meeting: Centering Well-being for Neurodivergent Students

1. Centering well-being for neurodivergent students benefits everyone.

2. Happiness is an essential skill - let’s teach it as we build a compassionate society together!

3. Focusing on strengths not deficits builds community and engagement.

4. You can infuse well-being practices into what you already do.

5. What you pay attention to shapes the classroom culture.

Comment “HAPPINESS” for a link to the full article. And thank you for all you do!

How do we teach the skills of bridging and dialogue in schools and classrooms? What strengths or qualities can we draw o...
05/11/2026

How do we teach the skills of bridging and dialogue in schools and classrooms? What strengths or qualities can we draw on to communicate across differences?

Join us this summer to explore these questions and more in our “Bridging for Belonging” community of practice. In July and August, you will have the opportunity to learn with and from other K-12 educators about how curiosity, empathy, and intellectual humility can bridge divides among students and staff to build kinder schools where everyone belongs.

🫱🏼‍🫲🏽 7 virtual gatherings
🫱🏼‍🫲🏽 Exclusive access to a digital content hub
🫱🏼‍🫲🏽 Certificate of Completion and 15 CEUs
🫱🏼‍🫲🏽 $59-$99, with group discounts and individual scholarships available

➡️ bit.ly/gge_summer2026

Comment “Summer” for a direct link to learn more and register. Thank you for all you do!

Happy teacher appreciation week! Here’s a free practice to cultivate intellectual humility among students (and adults!)....
05/07/2026

Happy teacher appreciation week! Here’s a free practice to cultivate intellectual humility among students (and adults!).

In this all-ages adaptation of a K-W-L activity, students learn about intellectual humility by comparing their original thinking with thinking after a learning experience.

Comment “Bridge” for a link to the practice. Find hundreds of other free practices like this one on Greater Good in Education (link in bio). Thank you for all you do!

🍎✏️📚

This May, explore the quiet strength of humility with daily tips and practices in our GGSC May Happiness Calendar for Ed...
05/05/2026

This May, explore the quiet strength of humility with daily tips and practices in our GGSC May Happiness Calendar for Educators. Comment “Calendar” for a downloadable version, and thank you for all you do!

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