Positivity Project Alignment with Texas Positive Character Traits Education
By Melissa KillingbeckThe Positivity Project (P2) is a positive character education curriculum that is tightly aligned with Texas’ Positive Character Traits Education.
The Texas Education Code (TEC) §29.906 requires the inclusion of specific positive character traits and personal skills in instruction. The Positivity Project focuses on positive psychology’s 24 character strengths, which are positive personality traits that reflect a person’s basic identity and produce positive outcomes for themselves and others. Ranging from bravery and fairness to integrity and gratitude, these strengths align with the positive character traits and personal skills outlined in the Texas Education Code.
The Positivity Project’s approach of teaching students about the 24 character strengths that everyone possesses aligns with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) goal of fostering courage, trustworthiness, integrity, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, good citizenship, school pride, and gratitude, as specified in the Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 120, Other Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, Subchapter A, Character Traits.
The Texas Education Code mandates that instruction in these traits and skills should be provided at least once during each grade band K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. The Positivity Project’s focus on all 24 character strengths ensures that students can consciously leverage these strengths in various situations throughout their lives.
Moreover, The Positivity Project’s emphasis on consistency aligns with the Texas State Board of Education’s aim of integrating positive character traits and personal skills into instruction. The Positivity Project’s holistic and consistent approach ensures regular interaction with character strengths vocabulary and concepts among students, educators, and families. This consistency in teaching and reinforcing character strengths align with the idea that character development is a product of habitual action and sustained practice. By consistently learning about positive psychology’s 24 character strengths, students become more self-aware, empathetic, and capable of building positive relationships — contributing to a positive school culture.
To support consistent implementation, The Positivity Project has deliberately designed its resources to be zero-prep for classroom teachers and remarkably easy to use school-wide. The Positivity Project’s model is supported by strong empirical evidence in peer-reviewed journals and meets the criteria for a Tier 2 evidence-based intervention under ESSA.
Overall, The Positivity Project aligns with the Texas Education Code (TEC) §29.906 by promoting the integration of positive character traits and personal skills into education through the teaching and application of character strengths. The Positivity Project’s focus on all 24 character strengths, consistency in instruction, and emphasis on self-awareness, empathy, and positive relationships support the goals outlined in the Texas Education Code.