CC BY
90International Annual Edition of Applied Psychology : Theory, Research, and Practice Volume 4, Issue 1, 2017.
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE ON EDUCATION
N.D. Palan
Ph.D., India ndpalan@icloud.com
Abstract
The environment we live in, is totally polluted both physically and mentally. We have rules, regulations, acts, law, constitution etc aimed at keeping human life happy and peaceful. Yet things would not remain maintained due to bad execution, inadequate judiciary and immature legislation. It is only sequel to toxic thoughts, emotional imbalance and other turmoil that erupts from human emotional mind. Emotional Intelligence/Emotional Quotient (EI/EQ) is an important aspect in developing social responsibilities, life enrichment, neuron development, competency development etc.
Key words: emotional intelligence, education, validity, mind-body regulation.
Education and Emotional Intelligence
Education, over the world today, is generally based on some curricula and syllabus set by few experts on the subject. There is multiplied academic intelligence getting developed through such curricula. Knowledge alone cannot bring out individual and social developments .There is a need to address social intelligence as part of education. The student-teacher-parent emotional Wi-Fi has a major role to play in education. Knowing and analyzing collective emotions of students and their teacher-parent emotional balancing is very important. Positive emotional data in students prevails them in better concentration, achieving performance excellence.
Parenting, globally is a grey area that need to be addressed for adequate human developments. The initial dates of a child gets properly groomed only if the parents are Emotionally Literate. They should go down to the level of a child's mind and then
ISSN 2313-4097
develop tools to improve the child with their maturity and experience. Children are basically innocent and as such act what they think and feel. In fact, they too have Emotional mind that makes them mischievous at many occasions. As matured parent, having parental knowledge can guide and develop their children with the mind of a child and maturity of a grownup person. Education begins here.
In schools beyond educational knowledge and expertise of a teacher, he/she has to have a mind-set that acts like a second loving mother. Attitude and behavior of such mother-teacher gets too much attached with the students that the student will always show keen interest to attend classes rather than forcing them to schools. The school atmosphere needs to be so harmonious that the atmosphere becomes a cushion for the children's emotions to play around. In such circumstances, the students thoughts can be guided to positive, making them realize the affect of poisonous thoughts. The student gains social responsibility and can be groomed as a responsible citizen that makes him/her a real truthful nation builder.
In an era when youngsters/students frequently feel disconnected from friends and family, where rapid social change is the norm, when Social Networking Medias influence the youngsters/students, there is a human need for developing social and emotional skills. By incorporating emotional intelligence into existing educational programs, a student can achieve a secured success for their future.
Classrooms at every stage must be embedded with mind-heart total coordination. Students from different family backgrounds, forming a student society having various emotional troubles, need to be brought to a common emotional platform. In this situation, the teacher is the most important person to tune the mind sets of varying students. The teachers' task in such cases, is considerably difficult but it is easy when they possess adequate emotional intelligence. The student psyche keeps changing every moment with respect to changing situations. It is the parents-teachers emotional competency that can address the student's emotional troubles.
Teacher, being the prime person responsible for building a strong Nation, through their student emotional management, need to be given adequate and effective
emotional intelligence coaching. Classrooms must develop as a place for enjoyable learning that makes the future of a strong nation. In fact transformative learning models are needed in schools, colleges and universities for the above purpose. Innovative curricula aimed at simultaneously developing knowledge and emotional intelligence is the need of the day.
Relationship between parents and teacher is successful when they both work together for the improvement and welfare of the child. Students perform better in education when teachers openly communicate with parents and the parents become actively involved in their children's education.
Learning is passion driven. And that is possible when the rational mind is activated for pleasurable learning. The mind shall not be retracted to negative emotions or to toxic thoughts. Learning must be person centered and relationship focused. Dealing with threatening situations, helping others, Conscience and Moral Autonomy, Happiness, Mutual Respect, Cooperation, Empathy and Responsibility are some among the developments that happens in an individual with the development of emotional intelligence [1, 2].
Yoga and Emotional Intelligence
Yoga, in general understanding, is a process of mind-body regulation. This concept is conceived by ancient Indian thoughts. Body-Mind regulation means keeping the mind and body always tuned up to generate positive energy. Toxic thoughts in the emotional mind gets gradually evaporated and get into the positive side, thereby attaining emotional intelligence in all respects. Amygdala hijacking gets managed during the course of yoga practicing. Emotions that creates trouble or diverting thoughts can be gradually channalized by practicing yoga. The body and mind gets tuned up on a positive road map.
Emotional intelligence reminds us that the problems begin and end within our own minds. Students coming with various emotional skirmishes can be guided to one single line of thought to remain in classrooms with a positive attitude. They can
escape from the slavery of emotional command. The student and the teacher can work in a pleasant atmosphere of learning and practicing. A regular practice of yoga with proper regulation of breathing can give a better result in learning emotional intelligence. Yoga helps to plant the seed for a positive self-image and high self-esteem, encouraging students to have self-compassion, helps to de-stress individuals and improve personal satisfaction. It cultivates a culture of non-judgment, increasing positive social experiences and feelings of social connectivity between peers, while reducing bullying behaviors. Applying tools of emotional intelligence or practicing emotional intelligence skills become easier. A happy healthy classroom atmosphere gets created.
Awareness of yoga and its positive effects must reach the parents who always look forward for the excellence of their children. The parents in general and teachers in particular must have proper awareness of yoga and shall enjoy practicing it for happier life. Every youngsters/students surely have influences from their family. Therefore there is a need of a good relation in between the family members which can make the student to be an Emotionally Intelligent individual up to a limit. It's not about saying in words, but to act.
Conclusion
With dynamic changes taking place in all spheres, youngsters in the coming decades will face new and more intense tensions. The practice of Yoga will enable them to unfold a greater and more powerful consciousness through simple physical exercises and meditation. The implementation of Yoga in educational institutions will help the students to develop their physical, mental, intellectual and emotional dimensions for the building of a harmonious personality. This will lead to reduce emotional turmoil happening around the world because youngsters/students are the one causing stability for the future generations. Yet another noted point is that crime, corruption and many other issues are increasingly happening day by day. An
Emotionally Intelligent environment can address such menaces bringing a better way of life.
References
[1] Salovey P., Mayer J.D. (1990). Emotional intelligence. Imagination, Cognition, and Personality. Vol. 9. Pp. 185-211.
[2] Mayer J.D.,Roberts R.D., Barsade S.G. (2008). Human Abilities: Emotional Intelligence, Annu. Rev. Psychol. 59:507-36.
