By Evelyn Pittas

Why Does Emotional Intelligence Matter And How Do We Teach It?

by Evelyn Pittas, Academy Vice Principal

Embed Social and Emotional Learning into the Curriculum.

Do you recognize what you are feeling? Can you effectively manage these feelings without getting swamped? Can you respond to others’ emotions effectively? Living in our fast-paced world means that sometimes we may not have the bandwidth to respond to emotions appropriately. However, if you have answered the questions above in the affirmative, you have a degree of emotional quotient.

Emotional intelligence involves the capability to identify and acknowledge emotions and their impact and uses this knowledge to determine thoughts and behaviors towards oneself and others. Specifically, emotional intelligence facilitates resilience, motivation, stress management, reasoning, emotional control, and empathy (Bar-On et al., 2006). It forms a bridge between cognition and emotion, allowing individuals to navigate different situations. Cultivating emotional intelligence from an early age would be beneficial in the fulfillment of a happy life.

The impact of emotional intelligence cuts across personal and professional lives and is a crucial competence that facilitates personal success and advancement in different areas of life. Bar-On et al. (2006) suggest that emotional intelligence is just as important as intelligence quotient. He further demonstrates that emotionally intelligent individuals can navigate life better than those with higher IQs.

Education on emotional intelligence from early childhood education promotes and ensures positive future personal and societal outcomes for children. The most significant years in a child’s life are the early years, which provide a solid base for learning and cognitive and social abilities. Teaching EI in early childhood education creates the basis for a child’s development and acquisition of life skills needed to be a functional member of society. It also translates to children growing up knowing how to deal with modern world challenges.

EI capacity is a prerequisite in most vocations, but especially in disciplines involving high-intensity emotions, such as education, management, hospitality, medicine, and other social sciences. Such elements stem from self-management and regulation and an ability to liberate oneself from impulse-driven emotions and other impulses detrimental to emotional stability. In turn, it translates into developing meaningful relationships through the exercise of empathy, cooperation, and better social skills, which are immensely useful in life.

Educating on emotional intelligence and how to respond to others appropriately is a crucial part of the academic curriculum. Below are elements to employ in the curriculum to teach emotional intelligence.

Like other forms of teaching, SEL is crucial in educating students on emotional intelligence and reducing harmful behaviors such as bullying while effectively promoting academic access. In their study, Cristovao et al. (2017) found that SEL reinforces positive behavior by allowing students to understand how their behavior impacts those around them and either impedes or promotes good interpersonal relationships. Conversely, perhaps the greatest benefit of embedding SEL into the curriculum is that it helps students realize that EI is just as important as their IQ since it translates into creating trust with superiors and colleagues later in life. Still, educators should also ensure that they embed SEL in their lesson plans.

Active Listening

Student participation also fosters the development of active listening, an effective tool for effective communication. Active listening involves being attentive and showing interest in what a speaker portrays, and actively participating in the conversation. Weger et al. (2014) demonstrate that active listening transcends merely listening and extends into feedback, whether positive or constructive criticism. This element of communication enables learners to show empathy, remain polite, and be more receptive and understanding to the speaker facilitating good relationships. Therefore, educating students on the relevance of active listening increases their emotional intelligence.

Have Educators that Model EI

Classroom learning comprises several critical dimensions to facilitate learning. Due to increasing diversity, educators must adapt to the ongoing demographic changes and develop new strategies that accommodate diverse groups of learners (Bredtmann, 2021). Educators must become cultural reconciliation agents, translators, and transformers to accommodate culturally and linguistically diverse students. Understanding these complex issues allows them to tailor learning experiences to individuals and promote effective learning. Modeling emotional intelligence encourages learners to develop ethical and responsible behavior. It allows students to respect each other’s opinions, remain respectful regardless of disagreements, and understand that they disagree with the problem, not the person. It allows students to hone these skills and be better versions of themselves.

Self-Regulation

Conversely, perhaps the most crucial aspect of educating on EI is to teach students the relevance of self-regulation. Cullinane & Montacute (2017) demonstrate that supporting students transitioning from childhood to adolescence is the most effective technique to foster emotional intelligence. Since this period is an experimental time for most teenagers, implementing techniques such as self-reinforcement, monitoring and goal setting go a long way in developing EI. Doing so allows students to learn that emotional intelligence is a gradual process requiring patience from all involved parties and learning daily.

Finally, several dimensions play a significant role in facilitating academic achievements and social integration. Understanding the impact of emotional intelligence and how to teach promotes the likelihood of a better society. Education expands perspectives and demonstrates that emotional intelligence is a gradual, continuous process since one does not stop learning. It allows society to do away with components that embody emotional stuntedness and promote emotional intelligence.

Works Cited Bar-On, R., Handley, R., & Fund, S. (2006). The impact of emotional intelligence on performance. In: Druskat VU, Sala F, Mount G, editors. Linking Emotional Intelligence and Performance at Work: Current Research Evidence with Individuals and Groups. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum; pp. 3–19. Bredtmann, J., Sebastian, O., and Christina, V. (2021). Linguistic diversity in the classroom, student achievement, and social integration, Education Economics, 29:2, 121 142, DOI: 10.1080/09645292.2020.1866499 Cullinane, C. & Montacute, R. Life Lessons: Improving essential life skills for young people. The Sutton Trust. Cristóvão, A. M., Candeias, A. A., & Verdasca, J. (2017). Social and Emotional Learning and Academic Achievement in Portuguese Schools: A Bibliometric Study. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 1913. https://doi. org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01913 Weger, H., Castle Bell, G., Minei, E.M., & Robinson, M.C. (2014). The Relative Effectiveness of Active Listening in Initial Interactions. International Journal of Listening, 28, 13 - 31. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/1 0.1080/10904018.2013.813234