Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence, also known as, Emotional Quotient –is the ability to identify, assess, and control the emotions of oneself, of others, and of groups.

The first step to our assignment was to take an Emotional Intelligence test.  The site stated that this emotional intelligence test will evaluate several aspects of your emotional intelligence and will suggest ways to improve it. The emotional intelligence test we were assigned to take consists of two parts; a self-report portion and an ability portion. The test assesses your capacity to: recognize your own emotions and those of others; understand how best to motivate yourself; become close to others; and manage your own feelings and those of others.

My results of the EI test:
The test was long, with a hundred and forty some questions.  Below is a snapshot report of my scores and a brief explanation:

I chose not to “review the results below” to see what areas needed improvement because it cost money and I am a broke college student.  However, the score I received is somewhat what I expected.  I am not far from the median score, making me reasonably skilled when it comes to perceiving and expressing my own emotions and those of others.  I feel that I could deal with my emotions a bit better, taking more time to think about decisions and to calm myself down in times of stress.  I tend to get stressed easily over things that do not matter and to keep that stress in until I break down.  Learning to reduce my stress a bit and connecting more to my emotions would be beneficial in raising my EQ.  I could also have a bit more confidence and self- assurance when it comes to defusing conflicts.

Is EQ immutable or can it change over time?

The skills of emotional intelligence can be developed throughout life. You can boost your own “EQ” by learning how to rapidly reduce stress, connect to your emotions, communicate nonverbally, use humor and play to deal with challenges, and defuse conflicts with confidence and self-assurance.  I feel as though mine has gotten much higher with age and with grade level school wise.  If I would have taken this same exact EQ test when I was in middle school my score would have been much lower.

What, if any, role do educators have in facilitating change in EQ? Cite examples supported by links to references.

There has been amplified consideration, lately, to the role emotional aptitude has in educational success. Our emotional state often times has great influence over our thinking. For example, students learn and perform more successfully when they feel secure, happy, and excited about the subject matter.  Teachers should be aware of and reflect on “emotional intelligence.” There are various strategies to help teachers and students alike become aware of their emotions and manage them better. 

Various sites give around five different skills involved in emotional intelligence.  These skills include being aware of one’s emotions, managing those emotions, motivating oneself, empathizing, and relating well with others. These five skills can be learned. Educators can help students by modeling, direct instruction, and coaching.  Through teachers students should be able to learn to monitor their own feelings (positive and negative), handle frustrating and difficult situations calmly, without giving up.  They should also be able to find their drive to learn and be able to work well in a group. 

·         Greater self-confidence is linked to students’ ability to be aware of and understand their emotions, since this understanding helps them feel greater control over their inner life.  Educators play a big part in developing self-confidence by helping students learn to identify how they are feeling when they make decisions. 

Here is a lessonplan: - Purpose: To help children recognize and appreciate their growth and success and to increase performance levels.

·         Teachers can use students’ emotional expression as a teachable moment to coach and support them in developing the skills needed to manage their emotions successfully. One way to teach students to manage their emotions effectively is to teach, conflict resolution, anger management, and the skills needed to work cooperatively, with the long-range goal of teaching students to work together in productive, positive ways. 

The term conflict management refers to processes and programs that teach individuals concepts and skills for preventing, managing, and resolving conflicts non-violently. Conflict management programs can teach life skills, "win-win" negotiation strategies, mediation skills, and violence prevention strategies.  The hyperlink attached to “conflict management” above gives the basic principles and some helpful ways to encourage it in the classroom. 

·         Self-motivation, a third area of emotional intelligence, is the ability to generate feelings of confidence, enthusiasm, and persistence, especially during setbacks.  Students who are positive inspire themselves to expect triumphs.

There are many ways of motivating students. Some of the general ways to motivate students include:

o   Give frequent, early, positive feedback that supports students' beliefs that they can do well.

o   Ensure opportunities for students' success by assigning tasks that are neither too easy nor too difficult.

o   Help students find personal meaning and value in the material.

o   Create an atmosphere that is open and positive.

o   Help students feel that they are valued members of a learning community.

·         “Empathy” is the ability to recognize other’s emotions and to have compassion when others are emotional.   Teachers can help students develop empathy by providing opportunities to take on different perspectives, put themselves in someone else’s shoes, and to take responsibility for their own actions.  

A short lesson on being empathetic, gives instructions for a discussion that you can have with your classroom as a group in order to help students understand what empathy is and why it is important.  

·         Being aware of emotions, managing emotions, self-motivation, and having empathy for others are involved as we engage in any social relationship. Positive social relationships in school are often associated with positive academic achievement. Teachers can make positive relationships possible by encouraging group interactions.   When a student-group shows commitment to working as a group, values each other’s participation, is caring of others, showing appreciation for all team members, positive relationships are made.

Allowing and encouraging group work is a great way to make positive social relationships possible.  There are quite a few different ways to establish groups.  I found a really need video (26 mins long) about group dynamics.

·         Teachers need to also understand that their emotional intelligence influences the classroom greatly. A teacher should have a positive state of mind and the ability to manage their emotions and relationships productively, because they are a model for their students. Teachers demonstrate how to express emotion and manage relationships when they communicate their feelings to students and show how to build respectful relationships with others.

Even if your school has not instituted a formal program in support of social and emotional learning, there are plenty of activities you can initiate right in your own classroom. To begin, recognize that an emotionally intelligent teacher is the first step to an emotionally intelligent classroom

Some say EQ is more important than IQ, do you agree or disagree?

I agree that some people may have fabulous IQ scores yet still do poorly in life; one could say that they were wasting their potential by thinking, behaving and communicating in a way that hindered their chances to succeed.  One of the major missing parts in the success equation is emotional intelligence.  For various reasons and thanks to a wide range of abilities, people with high emotional intelligence tend to be more successful in life than those with lower EIQ even if their classical IQ is average.

 ISTE Nets T - standard 1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity- by doing this survey, you're learning about yourself in a creative manner.  Also, teachers that will participate in an EQ survey and recognize the role of EQ in the learning environment are contributing to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession.