Journal #10

Emotional Intelligence: The Missing Piece
by Edutopia Staff, 2-22-2001, www.edutopia.org

Emotional Intelligence, a quality in a person evidenced by perseverance, empathy, good communication skills, the ability to make thoughtful decisions, solve problems, and work well with others. People with emotional intelligence seem to lead happier, more productive lives; they easily inspire others to be more productive. It is the ability to recognize one's feelings and express them appropriately without violence (verbal or physical). Emotional Intelligence is the "stuff" that helps us get along smoothly in life. Psychologist Daniel Goleman calls Emotional Intelligence the "missing piece" in our education system. Teaching emotional intelligence in school is not to be confused with teaching values, religious or otherwise.

With all the emphasis on technology these days, I hope that the human side of life is not ignored. It is too easy to not have to deal with others by just sitting in front of a computer. This article discusses a program to get kids to relate to others in a healthy, meaningful, non-violent way. The program teaches them how to handle strong emotions in a positive fashion. These are life-long skills that are necessary to have a successful and satisfying life. It turns out that when students are taught these skills in the classroom, there is actually more time for academics; teachers tend to have to spend less time on discipline.

1. How can emotional intelligence be incorporated into a classroom environment? Journal writing (or writing a blog) about a situation that is "given" in class after a particular skill is learned can be a great way to reinforce what is learned. If this writing is done through a blog, classmates could read and comment (in a supportive way!) on what their peers have written.

2. How can emotional intelligence be reinforced throughout a child's time in school? Some schools have "character programs" that are sketchy at best...I believe instruction in emotional intelligence should be incorporated into the curriculum. This article states that for these principles to "stick", instruction has to be ongoing--not something that is done once and then forgotten.