In teacher education there is a well-established agreement on the beneficial effects of conducting positive psychology interventions (Allen et al., 2022) during the stages of initial education, induction and professional development. A prime example is the development in teachers of constructs such as hope (Snyder, 2000), optimism (Seligman, 1998), self-efficacy (Parker, 1998), and resilience (Wagnild & Young, 1993). These constructs, identified by Luthans (2007), constitute what is defined as “Psychological Capital” (PsyCap). They are by their definition measurable, open to development within a short timeframe and linked to well-being and work performance. Specific survey instruments have been developed over the years for each construct. In the case of teachers, working on personal potential has also proven to be linked to the quality of teaching and the ability to motivate pupils (Vink et al, 2011) for school activities and for orienting themselves towards study. Psychological capital-related training interventions implemented in initial and continuous teacher education in the canton of Ticino (Switzerland) are based on this principle. The courses proposed were developed taking into account institutional and individual needs. The learning of classroom teaching practices was combined with individual development paths. Each course lasted one school year. During this time span, each participant was supported in designing a self-development plan containing objectives, deadlines, activities to be undertaken and tools for evaluating the obtained results. Participants were able to measure their Psychological Capital at the beginning and end of the course and become aware of the changes that had taken place. The presentation will be focused on the description of coaching activities (both individual and collective), conducted with teachers and principals, and on the qualitative and quantitative results obtained using this kind of approach.

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