Ep 121. Julia King Pool: How Positive Psychology Helps Teachers Thrive

Ep 121. Julia King Pool: How Positive Psychology Helps Teachers Thrive

“Incredible teachers don’t fully realize the impact they’re having.”

Julia King Pool

Julia King Pool is an alumna, and now on the faculty, of the University of Pennsylvania’s Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) program and is Founder and CEO of Burn-In Mindset. Advised by Angela Duckworth and Claire Robertson Kraft, Julia and Sophia Kokores co-authored a study on the mindsets of exemplar teachers in urban education. Their research became the inspiration for founding Burn-in Mindset. Julia worked in urban education for a decade. She helped to lead the opening of two public-charter schools and has been an elementary and middle school teacher in the public and public-charter schools of Los Angeles, Gary, Indiana, and Washington, DC. She has received numerous awards for her contributions to K through 12 education, including the Sue Lehmann Excellence in Teaching Award from Teach For America. She was also named the 2013 DC Teacher of the Year.

In this episode, Stew and Julia discuss the extraordinary stress and strain experienced by teachers in K- 12 that too often results in exhaustion, and unnecessary, expensive turnover. They explore the ways in which positive psychology can help teachers to remain strong, healthy, resilient and engaged, both for themselves and for their students. Julia describes some of the core principles of positive psychology and the ways she has adapted them for use by high-performing teachers. They can be applied in any job and for our relationships outside of work, too. Take the free VIA (Values in Action) survey to learn more about your strengths and ways to develop them to start to increase your own resilience.

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