Good teachers always try to inspire their students and make them feel good about learning. But is it their job to ensure that their pupils are happy? As Dr Abdulla Al Karam, director general of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai, has pointed out, “happiness leads to success, not the other way around”.
That may well be true. The difficulty is that happiness cannot be taught, although it can be acquired through interactions with others and by tackling the challenges of life. If children are coddled to the point where they are happy all the time, they may not be prepared for the world outside the classroom, where disappointments and setbacks are many – especially in early adult life.
Happiness can come from many things, including physical well-being and mindfulness. And, as some pundits have noted, it depends on knowing yourself.
