It’s no secret that emotional intelligence in teachers is a key skill which benefits staff and students alike. It’s an ability that helps form effective relationships with coworkers and students and can even get you the next promotion. A high Emotional Quotient (EQ) is all about dealing with your own and other people’s emotions in a controlled way. It means you can identify your own emotions and control your emotions and behaviour. It also means you recognise other people’s emotions and behave with sensitivity and empathy

All jobs require interacting with other people in some way. And work in education is no different. Whether you’re dealing with children or adults, it’s always important to behave professionally and sympathetically. Emotional intelligence is a skill we all poses at different levels. But did you know, like any skill, you can work to improve it?

In many ways, as an educator, emotional intelligence is a required technical skill. After all, there is more to teaching than having knowledge. You have to be able to engage with students and effectively impart that knowledge. An employer isn’t hiring a set of skills they are hiring a whole person. They are hiring an educator. This holistic approach to hiring means education professionals need to be well-rounded and emotionally intelligent people.

Leading By Example

Did you know that emotional intelligence is one of the most in demanded skills from employers? Emotional intelligence is required for healthy social development. It is a life skill that forms the basis of good habits and healthy relationships later in life. By bringing the principles of emotional intelligence into your classroom you’ll set your students up for success. Practising your emotional intelligence also benefits you. 

Schools, universities and other educational environments can be complicated, emotionally and interpersonally. Studies have found that we can develop friendships by spending 90 hours with someone. These findings, however, don’t apply in many professional environments because these spaces are closed-systems. You have no control over who you work with, and in the same way, your students have no control of who they learn with. This creates a rigid environment where it can feel almost unnatural to socialise. As adults, we tend to get stuck with our coworkers as polite acquaintances. Children can be more volatile when they are unable to naturally form close friendships with their classmates in this restrictive environment. They can withdraw and exclude themselves or bully and reject others.

High EQ can help us bridge that gap. You can build strong ties with your coworkers and your students and help them learn to cope in a variety of social situations.

How to Raise Your EQ

Managers dealing with hiring and promotions need to know you’ll fit in with other staff and interact with students well. They want to know you’ll be a positive addition that won’t cause tension or hostility. We all put our foot in our mouth occasionally, high EQ doesn’t mean you won’t make mistakes. Emotional intelligence makes us more aware. It helps us realise when we have made a mistake and how to make it up to someone. It also helps us avoid making those mistakes in the first place. Emotional intelligence is made up of a range of different skills. By being self-aware and practising those skills every day you’ll improve your EQ. Here are the key three skills to focus on:

• Self-awareness – check in with yourself. Know how you’re feeling and how you’re projecting to other people. Be aware of your body language and tone. It’s not about feeling happy all the time. It’s about understanding yourself and not taking it out on others when you don’t feel 100%.
• Presence – keep focused and in the moment. Avoid distractions and set goals for yourself to stay present and motivated. Be attentive and listen actively to those around you. Stay grounded and objective when there is conflict. Focus on keeping calm and finding a solution.
• Empathy – try to see things from another person’s point of view. Understand that we’re all on our own journey and be nonjudgmental. Be patient and understanding of others. Learn to take criticism, listen and improve rather than feeling offended.

Using Your Emotional Intelligence To Get The Job

High emotional intelligence in teachers and educators is highly desired. Not just as a skill for yourself but as a skill you can teach by example to your students. Displaying your high EQ isn’t as easy as adding the skill to your resume. Emotional intelligence is clear in everything you do. There isn’t a trick to it, you can only improve it with hard work. But it’s worth it. It is a life skill that can bring you and your students success at work and beyond.

Even with a high EQ, interviews can be daunting. Your emotional intelligence might help you identify that you lack confidence or feel at a loss for words in interviews. That’s all well and good, but what can you do about it? Teachers Resumes can help you with our specialist interview skills coaching. Our interview skills trainers can help you one-on-one to prepare and practice for your next interview. Our specialist interview answers structure is a process. It allows you to give strong answers to any question. We can help you increase your confidence and avoid common mistakes. Contact us today and see how an interview skills coach can help you get your next teaching job.