The road travelled towards presentation day in Shepparton + Final Result
"Teaching is the only profession that
creates professions, and stimulates progress in all other professions. We as
teachers have the powerful responsibility to inspire our students. In order for this to happens, we MUST integrate collaboration, challenged-based teaching, real world application, problem solving skills, technology and multi-media as well as student-centred teaching into our curriculum to allow our students to
use their creativity, their curiosity, and their imagination" (Lands, 2011). Emotional intelligence plays an important role in achieving this objective.
use their creativity, their curiosity, and their imagination" (Lands, 2011). Emotional intelligence plays an important role in achieving this objective.
Starting the research in Emotional Intelligence (EI) seemed
to have opened a Pandora's Box of wonderful discoveries. Suddenly all the
pieces of the EDGCT puzzle appeared to come together and everything started to
make sense. From the poster making in 5007, Howard Gardner’s Multiple
Intelligence and Flow Theory in 5008, to reflection on practice and brain-friendly
learning and teaching in 5009. All these teaching and learning aspects can be
found in an EI teaching and learning environment. In his book Alan Mortiboys (2012) wonders
if “you would know one (an EI teacher) if you saw one” (p. 8). The answer to
that would probably be ‘no’ if you would just judge ‘the book by its cover’. However,
those that have been taught by an EI teacher will describe an emotional
connection that probably would have inspired them and which they will remember
for life.
So, what are some of the traits of a teacher who teaches
with EI? According to Ergur (2009) and Mortiboys (2012) the EI teacher has an
empathetic connection with the students and can relate to them. They are able
to create a positive emotional environment; are intra- and inter-personal and
as such recognise, manage and realise the impact of their own feelings as well
as the feelings of their students; are capable communicators with good active
listening skills, and are able to deal with the expectations of their students.
“It is how much you care rather than how much you know”
(Weston & McAlpine, 1998, as cited in Mortiboys, 2012, p. 8)
“It is how much you care rather than how much you know”
(Weston & McAlpine, 1998, as cited in Mortiboys, 2012, p. 8)
So why my focus on Emotional Intelligence? As stated in my presentation about the Emotional Intelligent teacher, I have lived and worked for over 20 years in a medical model as a physiotherapist. Other people’s emotions were mostly ignored in the hope to be able to focus on the medical condition at hand. I have long figured out that the social model, where attention is being paid to the whole person, including their needs, wants and feelings, is a far better approach, not only in health but also in education.
The benefits of being in tune with not only your own emotions but also those of the students, has many benefits, as stated beside. I hope to discuss some of them a little more in-depth during my presentation.
“In a very real sense we have two minds,
one that thinks and one that feels”
― Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ
The final result |
|
|
|
References
Ergur, D. O. (2009). How can education professionals become emotionally intelligent? Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences , 1023-1028.
Lands, B. (2011, December 4). Get Your Students Thinking outside of the XBox. Retrieved from The Landscape of Learning: http://www.thelandscapeoflearning.com/2011/12/innovation-of-teaching-innovation.html
Mortiboys, A. (2012). Teaching with Emotional Intelligence. New York, USA: Routledge
Ergur, D. O. (2009). How can education professionals become emotionally intelligent? Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences , 1023-1028.
Lands, B. (2011, December 4). Get Your Students Thinking outside of the XBox. Retrieved from The Landscape of Learning: http://www.thelandscapeoflearning.com/2011/12/innovation-of-teaching-innovation.html
Mortiboys, A. (2012). Teaching with Emotional Intelligence. New York, USA: Routledge