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Research has shown that academic Intelligence has little relation with emotional life. Emotional intelligence (El) can be at times more powerful than having a high intelligence quotation (IQ). While IQ defines how bright someone is, emotional intelligence defines the capability of using that brightness in an efficient way. The important difference between them is that IQ cannot be changed through experiences or education, whereas emotional intelligence can be learned and enhance through It.
Rene Descartes stated ‘I think therefore I am’ and teachers have been following this. Today’s teachers put more energy Into recognizing and working with the emotional omission of learning, then, It Is time to adopt another statement ‘l feel therefore I am’ (Mortises, 2005). The concept of Emotional Intelligence may be the first time we hear it but has been around since 1995 after Daniel Salesman’s book, that explain how to success in our career. Nowadays is important because affects positively the academic achievement of students from the first day to the years to follow.
Emotional Intelligence Is the ability to understand our own emotions and those of people around us. The concept Involves that we must have a self-awareness that loud enables us to recognize feelings and manage our emotions. It is a learned ability to identify, understand, experience, and express our human emotions in a healthy and productive way (Mortises, 2005). But if emotions are out of control, our world can result a chaos, a disaster. In our day to day life this can affect our interpersonal relationship, our self-identity and our ability to complete a task.
Emotions are personal experiences, parts of a complex interaction between control of emotions so that they can work positively rather than against us; this is the importance of Emotional Intelligence. Consequently, if a teacher handles his own emotions and those of others he or she can success effectively as a teacher. This has become an essential task to learn in teaching; given that everybody thinks, expresses feelings, behaves and acts differently, emotional experience and expression are unique to each one of us.
Some people may struggle with understanding what emotion they are experiencing and this affects negatively in the class. Emotional intelligence for a teacher is so important because is going to influence what he does, affects who he meets, determines how he looks, expresses how he or he feels, helps to express emotions appropriately instead of ignoring them, and decides in some way his or her course of life, such as Job satisfaction that for some teachers depends on their attitude.
It is a teacher’s Job responsibility to know him or herself emotionally and after he or she will be ready to connect with each student, and to support the passion and excitement to learn. The teacher also offers emotional as well as intellectual support for the students. To make a difference, a teacher must possess the skills, personality characteristics and behavior that student’s perceive to impact their motivation to learn. If the teacher is emotionally intelligent then a number of the students will be benefited.
Teachers’ play a key role in bringing stability and a stimuli to emotional development; it also provides guidance to students and also their parents, and this by providing exemplary behavior, providing an exit for the emotional energies of the students, through proper curricular and co-curricular experiences (Sahara and Vidal, 2012). This in turn creates an emotionally stable and intelligent society Monsoons, 2012). A teacher is a change agent as he or she is in charge of molding the character of pupils (Coleman, 1998). A good teacher is the instrument to trigger a learners’ desire to learn that will continue through all their life.
Expanding on the notions explored above, to teach with emotional intelligence includes: putting a great deal of energy into creating a positive emotional climate; recognizing and working with the feelings of oneself and of the learners; as well, using listening skills with groups and individuals; dealing with learners’ expectations; and having a developed self-awareness. Thinking about teachers’ emotional intelligence, it is useful to look at Salesman’s five ‘social and emotional competencies”. Self-Awareness: As teachers we will develop further by increasing this skill.
It involves knowing and accepts our internal self, reasons, initiative, emotions, strengths and shortcomings as well as to see how these will affect other people. It can also be raised in a number of ways, for example in the numbered by Mac. Grab Hill’s we find: Knowing what your students think of you. Be ready to respond to their views and feelings about your teaching, and to make a change about your teaching students’ feedback. Looking at yourself on video makes you aware of your weaknesses and your strengths. Talking to others about your teaching.
Watching other people to teach. Getting peers to observe your teaching. Keeping a teaching diary to learn from mistakes or achievements. Avoiding professional Jealousy. Control. It helps to think clearly even under pressure. To teach students, a teacher needs to transmit calm, but determination to act coherently in positive and negative situations. Motivation: This skill is an imperative to the achievement of goals. It is an ability composed of teacher’s energy and persistence. Teaching enthusiasm, passion and a great vocation will provide our thoughts and actions.
Empathy: Refers to the ability to put oneself into another’s feet and look and think at the things from his point of view. This will show students that a teacher is human and as such it must be respect, he or she can err; he or she shows interest in their pupils and no indifference. Social Skill: Ability about how to establish harmony within society and create networks of people. There are many of these to mention some of them such as disagreeing politely, resolving conflicts, asking for help, waiting patiently, taking turns… If a teacher lacks them, students will not become competent citizens.
Good teachers must develop these skills through experience, willingness and consciousness, all about people and about the outside world. Only then, a teacher can become proficient in this subject and as such capable of preparing students in emotional intelligence. Nelson et al. (2005) research indicates that teachers who model emotional intelligence share aspects such as reflective behavior, flexibility to change, assertive and gentle communication, optimism and hope in general, and trust on developed skills and on positive habits.
Mortises (2005) suggests that to conduct emotional omission of learning, teachers should improve and use their own emotional intelligence; firstly, thinking that the goal of recognize and respond to their own feelings as well as the learners’ one will make everyone to feel effective in their role; secondly, an aim to motivate the emotional state in the learners as the start to produce constructive learning. Learners’ perceptions can also alter when the teacher uses emotional intelligence (Mortises, 2005).
If learners perceive their teacher showing care and respect towards them, they are likely to interpret some of his or her actions differently. For example, if pupils perceive their teacher to be as someone who connects with them and that makes sure that the whole class is following the explanation; in one situation where this same teacher fails to follow this pattern the students will recognize that something is happening.
A skilled teacher in emotional intelligent will benefit to students in developing (Sahara and Vidal, 2012): Stress Management because they will understand their emotional reactions which help to have physical and mental balance. Self Esteem and Confidence, which students will achieve by real life experiences discussions, also with help to manage fears, as well y tackling life’s challenges with security, and by maintaining a positive mental attitude, too. Then, success will be reachable to students. Assertion is to have confidence in communicating personally and at work without feeling shy or stupid.
Anxiety Management made the student capable of managing anxiety and improving performance under pressure. An ability to quickly establish and maintain effective interpersonal relationships which provide a sense of comfort. Empathy to understand and accept differences, cultures and diversity issues. Decision Making will assist the student to plan, formulate, and implement effective problem solving. O delegate responsibilities. Strength to direct energy and motivation to accomplish goals. Time Management to meet goals and assignments on time. Anger Management to control and manage anger and to perform under stressful situations.
Student’s emotional intelligence is mostly observed in the teacher as well as in most exemplary responsible adults or colleagues. The educational environment is essential in this process because students attend approximately 200 days a year to school. My opinion in this subject is that I feel that I have started to develop most of these kills through all my rich life experiences. If I keep developing my emotional skills and modeling this emotional intelligence, I will become more successful in social relationships and much more satisfied in my teaching career as in my life.