Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies,

Online ISSN 2278-8808, SJIF 2016 = 6.17, www.srjis.com

UGC Approved Sr. No.45269, SEPT-OCT 2017, VOL- 4/36
10.21922/srjis.v4i36.10018

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE: WHY IT MATTERS FOR TEACHERS?

Dipty Subba, Ph. D.

Asst Prof. and Head, Deptt of Education, Southfield College, Darjeeling, West Bengal
[email protected]

Emotional intelligence is deemed as one of the important aspects in educating a person to be

balanced as a whole. The national philosophy of education (1987) outlined a number of key factors
that need to be implemented in the education field in order to produce individuals that are
intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced. In the process of development in
todays modern era, individuals encounter several situations, which later on result with creating
various problems. The problems of adjustment occur because of the existence of conflict towards
humans themselves, in order to fulfill the need of their surroundings. In education field, emotional
intelligence has a large implication especially in ensuring the students ability to compete in their life
and self development. The teachers can play their role with helping the students which had been
encountered with a high level of anxiety, by practicing an actively teaching and learning method in
class, such as collaborative learning, cooperative learning and learning process based on problem.
Keywords: Emotions, Emotional Intelligence (EI)
Scholarly Research Journal's is licensed Based on a work at www.srjis.com

Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the role of emotional intelligence in teaching
learning and in the life of a teacher. Education is the most effective instrument to meet the
challenges. Education to be meaningful should not only aim at the physical and mental
growth of the individual, but also take into account the needs and the aspirations of a
developing society. Emotions of teachers are vital in this regard. The conventional teaching
just impart knowledge or fill students' brains with facts, but todays educators having a
broader role of shaping students skills to manage their emotions, resolve conflict
nonviolently, and make responsible decisions. There is a growing body of evidence that the
ability to work with emotion is an important part of the teachers skill set. The factor of
emotional intelligence is looked as one of the factors that influence students learning
process.

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What are Emotions?
Emotions refer to a feeling state. It is similar to waves of the sea totally unpredictable
of its power and strength, some time it may take you along. In schools, we might also
remember that the humanities have long been helping young people to become more
thoughtful and articulate about emotions. Emotional decisions would lack fairness of
judgment and affect others.
Emotional Intelligence
The term emotional intelligence was popularized by Goleman (1995). Prior research
has explored the concept of emotional intelligence, which is the ability both to know ones
own emotions and to read others emotions as well (Davies, Stankov, & Roberts, 1998;
Zadel, 2008). In this 1995 version, Goleman cherry-picked bits of both Gardners and Mayer
and Saloveys definitions to put together his own version of Emotional Intelligence,
comprising knowing ones emotions, managing ones emotions, motivating oneself,
recognising emotions in others, and handling relationships skilfully. There are a number of
different definitions of emotional intelligence in the psychological literature, but in general it
is defined as an ability to identify, regulate, and manage emotions in the self and in others.
Emotional intelligence is about the connect ion we feel between body, mind, and spirit-and
how we make sense of sensations, thoughts, and feelings. Emotional intelligence is a blend of
capabilities that incorporates the possibility to discern feelings in the self and in other
individuals, utilize feelings to improve execution, comprehend feelings and enthusiastic
information, and direct feelings in the self and in other individuals (Mayer and Salovey,
1997).
Emotional intelligence promotes tolerance and optimism in a person and he manages
to create comfort for himself by using emotional intelligence. (Brackett, M. A., Rivers, S.,
Shiffman, S., Lerner, N., &Salovey, P). The strong appeal of concepts like Emotional
Intelligence reflects a shift in social attitudes generally, as well as in education. We must
also remember that Emotional Intelligence is by no means the first attempt to help people
learn how to live happier, more fulfilled lives.
Salovey.P.,Mayer. J. (1990) coined the term emotional intelligence they defined
emotional intelligence as, the subset of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor
ones own and others feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this
information to guide ones thinking and action.3 They concluded that emotional intelligence
comprised of four mental processes

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1. Perception Perceiving and identifying emotions.
2. Assimilation- Integrating emotions into thought patterns.
3. Understanding Understanding ones own and others emotion.
4. Managing Managing emotions
Cooper and Sawaf (1997) defined Emotional Intelligence as the ability to sense
understand and effectively apply the power and acumen of emotions as a source of human
energy, information connection and influence. Goleman, D. (1998) defined it as the capacity
to recognize our own feelings and those of others for motivating ourselves and for managing
emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships. Bar - on et.al, (2006) defined EI as the
sum of social and emotional competencies of individuals communicating with himself and
others in order to cope with environmental pressure and demands. He also maintained that
emotional intelligence is a series of collection of unknown capabilities, competencies, and
skills which can have a strong effect on individuals capabilities in order to succeed in coping
with environmental demands and pressures.
Emotional intelligence is the capacity to reason about emotions to enhance thinking,
to process emotional information, which includes perception, assimilation, understanding,
and management of emotions, to meet the requirements of day-to-day living and learning
(Cherniss, 2000). Several studies have found that emotional intelligence can have a
significant impact on various elements of everyday living. Palmer, Donaldson, and Stough
(2002) found that higher emotional intelligence was a predictor of life satisfaction.
A Research-Based Education Model of Emotional Intelligence
The educational model of emotional intelligence at Texas A&M University-
Kingsville defines emotional intelligence as a confluence of developed abilities to (1) know
and value self, (2) build and maintain a variety of strong, productive, and healthy
relationships, (3) get along and work well with others in achieving positive results, and (4)
effectively deal with the pressures and demands of daily life and work (Nelson and
Low,1998).
Emotional intelligence can be organized, integrated, and taught in a sequential, step-
by-step, learner-centered process. Through long-term study, research, and experience with
personal skills and emotional intelligence, the Emotional Learning System (a systematic
emotional skills learning process) was developed. This learning process or system consists of
five essential, interrelated, sequential steps (Nelson and Low, 1999, 2003).

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Why Emotional Intelligence is relevant for Teachers?
Teachers are the backbone of the educational institutions, without teachers, these
institutes are considered the body without soul. Good teachers need a strong emotional
intelligence. Successful teaching requires not just subject knowledge and appropriate
teaching methods, but also affective skills. Emotions are critical ingredients for optimal
information processing, social communication, written communication, motivation, attention,
concentration, memory, critical thinking skills, creativity, behaviour, physical health, and
even our very survival (Goleman 1995; Jensen 1998; Kusche and Greenberg 1998; Sylwester
1995). These are aspects which cannot be done away with, in any kind of teaching learning
process. What seems to have warranted research on EI is that teachers role is not, any longer,
restricted to the one-way transmission of knowledge, but encompasses teaching learners how
to learn, augmenting their confidence, boosting their self-esteem, motivating them and
organizing an appropriate learning context (Williams & Burden, 2000).
The teachers having good emotional intelligence, can teach the students in effective
manner, But it is needed to measure this phenomena, at what level the emotional intelligence
can plays its role in learning process. It is also necessary that the teachers have all the
knowledge, about their subject and teaching methodology, and specific skills like emotional
intelligence. A central concern for teachers is the effect of emotions on learning. Emotional
Intelligence is relevant for teachers as well as learners. The present generation faces new
problems in their life. Teachers need to be equipped with skills to help them tackle these new
and more complex problems. The present generation believes in scientific theories and
experiments, so there is a tendency to reject religion, religious practices, cultural traditions
and values.
Teachers can ease interpersonal conflicts and contribute to the students emotional
and social development by helping them to regulate their emotions. Sutton & Wheatly (2013)
have stated that emotional competence of teachers is necessary, both in general for their own
well-being and for effectiveness and quality in carrying out teaching-learning processes in the
classroom and in particular for the socio-emotional development of students. These can be
improved with effective intelligence of the teachers. Emotional intelligence tells the teacher
the way for easy solution. (Hargreaves, A. (1998).
The emotional skills of teachers have been found to influence how students behave,
their engagement and attachment to school, and their academic performance (Baker, 1999;
Battistich, Schaps, Watson, Solomon, & Lewis, 2000; Durlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor,

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& Schellinger, 2011; Hawkins, 1999; Wentzel, 2002; Zins, Bloodworth, Weissberg, &
Walberg, 2007). The bulk of research on emotional intelligence has focused on leadership,
where it finds a commercial market (for example, Cherniss and Goleman, 2001). There has
long been a recognition that teachers experience a wide range of positive and negative
emotions while teaching and interacting with pupils (Hargreaves, 1998). But emphasis on
emotional problems, such as dealing with teacher anger or anxiety, has helped retain a
traditional caution towards the subject (Sutton & Wheatley 2003).
Teachers cannot be the effective source of knowledge unless they are possessed with
the essential skills, knowledge and talents. In the recent years, the concept of the emotional
intelligence among teachers has been taken attention in the educational institutions due to its
great importance. This skill is really required to make the teachers performance very
effective. This skill can make the teachers not only able to deal with their students but with
their colleagues as well. An Emotionally Intelligent teacher will be a better guide. Teachers
who intentionally develop emotional skills and model emotionally intelligent behavior on a
daily basis experience more success and satisfaction in their professional career and life.
Teachers who model emotional intelligence are characterized by: intentional reflective (not
reactive) behavior, more flexible (not resistant to change), assertive communication (not
aggressive or passive), more optimistic and hopeful (not pessimistic and negative), and relies
on skills and positive habits (not reactive habits).
The main aim of education is the all round holistic development of the students. In the
pursuit of this goal, teachers play a significant role. Emotionally healthy behavior is reflected
in
characteristic ways of (1) thinking, (2) identifying, managing, and expressing feelings, and
(3) choosing effective behaviors. Becoming an emotionally intelligent teacher is a journey
and process, not an arrival state or end result. Emotionally Intelligent teachers help students
with improved motivation, enhanced innovation, increased performance, effective use of time
and
resources, improved leadership qualities and improved team work. Emotional intelligence
seems to be the key factor in understanding the students, regarding what motivates them,
what they desire and how teachers can work better with them. Teachers emotional
intelligence has an influence on the behavior of the students through their taking into account
of the needs of their students.

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Emotional rather than cognitive learning techniques must be utilized to teach
emotional intelligence. This less traditional training approach, based on self-directed and
more individualized learning engagements, encompasses the following components:
1. Visioning around reaching one's ideal self.
2. Self-assessment and self-awareness of current strengths and weaknesses.
3. Ensuring that strengths and limitations improve so that they do not detract from the
achievement of goals.
4. Creating and committing to a learning agenda that builds on strengths and reduces
weaknesses.
5. Active and frequent experimentation with new behaviors that support and develop
emotional intelligence competencies.
6. Reliance on a coach to regulate progress (Goleman, 1995).
There are list of traits, traditionally which are considered as important for a teachers,
they are ability to listen and create an atmosphere conducive to learning that interests the
students; effective teaching methods; believes students can do well; able to connect with
students; non-judgmental; optimistic/ positive/smiling; exudes a great sense of humor;
promotes active and collaborative learning; is very engaging, adaptable; flexible; understands
that every student is different and need to treat them all fairly.
Measuring EI of an Individual
If Emotional Intelligence is to be taken seriously as a complement to more familiar
measures of intelligence such as IQ, it has to be measured. Measuring Emotional
Intelligence is no easier than measuring any other human quality. One of the first, and still
most widely-used is the Emotional Quotient Inventory, EQ-I, of Israeli psychologist Reuven
Bar-On. Drawing on Howard Gardners terminology, Bar-On calls these intrapersonal
intelligence (which contains selfawareness, self-esteem and assertiveness); interpersonal
intelligence (empathy, social responsibility and social awareness); adaptability (problem-
solving, reality testing and flexibility); stress management (stress tolerance and impulse
control); and general mood (happiness and optimism). People with very low scores on
Emotional Intelligence tests are indeed more likely to be involved in substance abuse, more at
risk of eating disorders, more likely to suffer from panic attacks, have a greater tendency to
violence, and have more severe problems in relationships. Those with higher Emotional
Intelligence, as judged by self-report questionnaires, perform considerably better than do
those with lower Emotional Intelligence.

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The Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT; Mayer, Salovey,
& Caruso, 2002a), was designed to measure the four-branch model of EI. The four EI
abilities were first measured with a test called the Multifactor Emotional Intelligence Test
(MEIS; Mayer, Caruso, & Salovey, 1999). This instrument was improved upon, leading to a
briefer test that was produced professionally, the MSCEIT (Mayer, Salovey, & Caruso,
2002a). The items developed for the MEIS served as the starting point for the MSCEIT The
MSCEIT assesses the four-branch model of EI (perceiving, using, understanding, and
regulating emotions) with 141 items that are divided among 8 tasks (two for each branch).
Conclusion
The recognition of the role of emotions in learning and teaching in higher education is
long overdue. The most important goal for every institution of higher education is academic
development. It is crucial for institutions of higher education to develop academic advising
and student learning models that embodies both the academic (cognitive) and emotional
(affective) development of students. Education and learning require the perspective of
balance between academic achievement and becoming emotionally intelligent. The study of
emotional intelligence
needs to be widened to open up the minds of parents, teachers and the authority that are
directly and indirectly involved in the process of development and learning of the students.
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