ABSTRACT

Cullingford,C. (2008) ‘A fleeting history of happiness: children’s perspectives’, Education 3-13, 36 (2), 153-60.

Cullingford addresses an area of school life that is rather taken for granted, namely that happiness (‘well-being’) is an important factor in motivating pupils to learn. However, he contrasts the government’s ‘instrumental’ approach that happiness can be manipulated with a more philosophical approach. In particular,Cullingford addresses the importance of insight and contentment.Thus: ‘Of all the things that young children most prize, it is the gift of insight’ and ‘The first important notion concerning happiness is that it essentially means contentment’ (p. 155).