Tell us more about your collaboration with your PhD student?

We have collaborated for the past two years, along with another faculty member Dr. Ayana-Allen Handy, on an applied research project investigating how early childhood teachers in Philadelphia can best support young children’s social, emotional and character development (SECD). We provided 12 weeks of professional development to in-service teachers related to SECD and collected data on various activities addressing multiple research questions. Our first mixed methods study, published here, demonstrated how teachers improved their use of positive guidance principles, and how they improved the quality of their relationships with children. Our second study, currently under review, investigated how the teachers used a positive psychology intervention (applying personal character strengths in the workplace) to resolve a wide variety of challenges with coworkers, children and parents. Our third related study, also under review, investigated how the teachers and their students demonstrated the character strengths of love, kindness and forgiveness. Modeling and applying these traits is central to supporting young children’s SECD.