Hopeful Minds Overview Educator’s Guide

The Hopeful Minds Overview Educator Guide is a curriculum designed to give children an introduction to the “what,” “why,” and “how” of hope. The curriculum includes three, 45-minute lessons that introduce the key tools needed to create, maintain, and grow hope, background information for educators, supplemental resources, classroom visuals, and a Hopework Book for students. The Hopework Book is included in this curriculum, but it can also be purchased or downloaded separately at www.hopefulminds.org/curriculum. 

Each lesson also includes a Hope Hero spotlight: a story highlighting positive role models who are using the skills in the curriculum to overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams. The Hope Heroes in the Hopeful Minds Overview include John Krasinski, “Magic” Johnson, and Selena Gomez.

While this curriculum is geared towards 2nd grade students, it can be easily adapted for any age range (adults included), and can be utilized in any setting (such as schools, after-school programs, places of worship, hospitals, offices, and more). This curriculum has been specially designed to be used for either classroom or remote learning.

The curriculum reinforces all eight National Health Education Standards as set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), meets Social Emotional Learning (SEL) guidelines, and promotes empathy and anti-bullying behaviors.The Hopeful Minds Overview Educator Guide is based on research that suggests hope is a measurable and teachable skill. Hope impacts all outcomes in life, including academic achievement, athletic performance, health, and resilience. 

The curriculum was developed by a global advisory board, has been featured as an innovation by the World Bank, and was created using hope theory informed by researchers around the world. This is the first no-cost program to operationalize hope, and to offer it globally to those in need. 

For more information on the benefits of hope or the Hopeful Minds Overview Educator Guide, please visit www.hopefulminds.org or www.ifred.org.