Why Teaching Happiness Should Be a Part of the Curriculum

Miss, are we doing another reflection today? Or is it real work this time?"

That question came from one of my Grade 9 students, right after I asked them to write down three things they were grateful for. At first, I chuckled. But then I paused. To this student, “real work” meant coding or design documentation-not taking a moment to appreciate what was going well.

And yet, in that quiet 10-minute exercise, something shifted. A student who often sat disengaged shared that he was grateful for his older brother walking him to school every day. Another admitted she’d never thought about how much her mom did until now.

That, to me, was real work. It just wasn’t measured by a rubric.

As a technology teacher with a passion for emotional wellness, I’ve often wrestled with the balance between skill-building and soul-nurturing. We’re great at teaching students how to analyze literature, solve math equations, or build mobile apps-but we rarely teach them how to be happy, even though that might be the most vital skill of all.

Research from Yale University’s most popular course ever, “The Science of Well-Being,” shows that people often chase the wrong things-money, beauty, success-believing they’ll bring happiness. But our brains are wired to adapt, and the joy from external wins quickly fades. What actually boosts well-being? Gratitude. Connection. Mindfulness. Acts of kindness. These are simple, teachable habits. So why aren’t they in every classroom?

Our students are growing up in a world of constant comparison, perfectionism, and performance pressure-thanks in large part to social media and hyper-competitive environments. The result? Rising levels of anxiety, burnout, and loneliness-even among high-achieving students.

If we want to prepare them for real life, we need to teach happiness as seriously as we teach algebra. Not in a preachy, one-off assembly way, but integrated, consistent, and practical.

Imagine if journaling gratitude became as routine as solving equations. If reflection was part of assessment. If students learned the psychology of savoring, forgiveness, and empathy the same way they learn HTML or history. It’s not about abandoning academics-it’s about humanizing them.

This year, inspired by the “rewirements” in the Yale course, I started a Happiness Hour every Friday-just 20 minutes of well-being practices. No grades. No pressure. Just space. Some weeks we wrote thank-you letters. Other weeks we meditated or took mindful walks. The result? Students began looking forward to it more than any quiz or kahoot.

One student wrote in her journal, “I’ve started doing these practices at home. My mom says I seem calmer.” That feedback made me realize: academic achievement means little if our students are constantly overwhelmed or disconnected.

 It’s time we stop seeing happiness as an extracurricular goal and start recognizing it as core curriculum.

I’m still that teacher who loves tech, robots, and innovation. But I now believe our greatest innovation is teaching kids how to be emotionally resilient human beings. When students feel grounded, valued, and equipped to manage their emotions, they don’t just succeed in school-they thrive in life.

So next time a student asks, “Is this real work?” I’ll smile and say, “Yes, the most real kind there is.”