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Cultivating Emotional Intelligence By Clare Erasmus “It is very important to understand that Emotional Intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence, it is not the triumph of heart over head - it is the unique intersection of both.” - David Caruso Students are at the core of educational institutions. They spend much of their time learning and growing, while being educated, from the early years through to the young adult years at universities and colleges. It is no surprise that the face of education over the past few decades has transformed and so has the role of educators. Educators now find themselves extending their professional development into growing their knowledge and skills in a variety of directions. Central to being able to adapt to these changes, while simultaneously being a part of the transformation for both students and educators, is emotional Intelligence. Some educational institutions are at the front line of implementing well-thought-out initiatives, programmes and approaches that promote, educate and facilitate Emotional Intelligence. Historically, Intelligence Quotient (IQ) was attributed to being the single factor in determining life success, however this is long a measure of the past. In fact, 56 | eYs Magazine, Winter 2022
IQ is now considered a far more narrow measure because it does not account for the range of other human intelligences. On the other hand, greater significance is being placed on Emotional Intelligence (EI).
What is Emotional Intelligence? Emotional Intelligence can be best understood as a person’s ability to perceive, control, evaluate and express emotions. The term ‘Emotional Intelligence’ was coined by Peter Salovey and John Mayer in 1990. It was later popularised by Daniel Goleman (1996) in his book, ‘Emotional
