Being a teacher doesn’t only require the utmost amount of patience and understanding, it also requires a lot of emotional intelligence and the development thereof. Emotional intelligence (EI) is a term that gets thrown around quite a lot in the workplace, but what does it actually mean? EI is most often defined as the ability to perceive, use, understand, manage, and handle emotions, but unfortunately, this is something that not a lot of individuals have.
EI has four main pillars and skill sets that can be used to unpack the concept as a whole to better understand and grasp exactly what it entails. The first pillar is self-awareness. This revolves all around the ability to understand your emotions and just actually understand who you are as an individual. What makes you tick, what your strengths and weaknesses are and how you perceive yourself and put yourself forward – this is all about self-confidence. There is a very fine line that you walk when it comes to self-confidence and cannot be mistaken for arrogance.
Self-management is the next pillar which is all about self-control and emotional maturity. We have all had our moments where we have uncontrollable outbursts and have to really sit down and unpack why we reacted the way we did. Some people unfortunately cannot pinpoint why they react so explosively and do not make an effort to do introspection and develop that skill. Being expressive is one thing, but knowing how to do it is a whole other ballgame. Self-management also encompasses achievement and initiative which refers to your goals that you work towards and how you stay motivated without lingering too much on setbacks and disappointment. Being transparent and optimistic also falls under this pillar. Honesty in everything you do is key and always having a positive outlook. In short – adapt or die!
The third pillar focuses on social awareness. This is all about being a team player and how you are perceived by peers. When working within a team it is always important to be very aware of empathy levels and being helpful and willing to achieve a common goal as a group effort. Think about teaching, it is not just one teacher that is responsible for a child throughout their school career, it takes a village to raise a child. This counts for teachers as well. Working together, although in different subject areas and making sure that each teacher brings out the best in every child and making sure they achieve their maximum potential.
The last pillar is relationship management which is very self-explanatory. For teachers specifically, the balance must be just right between being a mentor, a role model and a figure of authority. One of the biggest factors of a relationship is knowing how to deal with conflict and find positive resolutions and ways going forward, while inspiring peers and individuals to strive to do the same. Relationships are very fragile and need to be handled with kit gloves to ensure that bridges are not burnt and that certain aspects are not damaged beyond repair.
In short, emotional intelligence is not something that people are just born with, there might be some characteristics that are already there, but to achieve the level of EI that is needed especially in the classroom, constant development and nurturing of these four pillars are needed throughout your life and career.
If you’d like assistance with developing the emotional intelligence needed to find a great teaching job, consider a coaching session with our team: https://goteach.co.za/
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