The N.C. State Fundamentals in Teaching workshop series put on its most recent seminar on educational tools Wed. in Talley Student Center.
The workshop, titled “Emotional Intelligence: A Tool for Teaching,” was held in the Walnut Room of the student center from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and was restricted to registered guests.
State’s graduate school teaching program started the Fundamentals in Teaching (FIT) workshops in partnership with the Preparing Future Leaders (PFL) initiative to provide future educators with tools for teaching.
The workshop was designed to teach educators to process the beneficial aspects of both traditional intelligence and the less common emotional intelligence.
Unlike general intelligence factors such as IQ, elements of emotional intelligence are not based on a number or score. Alternately, they are based on personality traits that indicate ability and capacity. Someone who has a high degree of emotional intelligence is calm in stressful situations, excels in managing emotions, and is able to separate emotions from logical thinking. On the other hand, someone with a low degree of emotional intelligence does not allow for logical or rational thinking/analyzing because his or her emotions take over mental capacity.
As a division of the advanced strategies workshops, the emotional intelligence presentation aimed to help teachers understand the fundamentals and core elements of the science and how to apply this knowledge to an educational setting.
Registered participants in the workshop learned ways to use emotional intelligence to foster positive interactions with students and enhance their competency as teachers.
Tim Weaver, a Virginia-based teacher and educational leader said obtaining emotional intelligence as an educator requires the capability of understanding and controlling his or her emotions and/or the emotions of others.
Weaver said teaching workshops have become more diverse and open to unconventional forms of education.
“Teachers are no longer only considering traditional curriculum studies and common methods of teaching. A society now prone to various learning and mental disorders like ADD and ADHD has to start thinking outside the box,” Weaver said.
Heather Gustafson, a senior in education, said she thinks using emotional intelligence as an educational tool is a new alternative method that should be utilized in the classroom.
“[It] is definitely a helpful teaching and learning tool for educators and educational systems. In the classroom emotions affect both teachers and students, so it would be useful to know the best ways to control them,” Gustafson said.
In addition to using emotional intelligence as tool in the classroom, Lesley Womble, an N.C. Central University graduate student in speech pathology said it is used in guidance and therapy settings as well.
Womble said the method is particularly beneficial to use in situations involving sensitive issues like a speech impediment. Because having trouble speaking is a touchy subject with some, Womble said it’s important to stay in touch with the student or patient’s emotions.
“I work with some kids who are hypersensitive about the problems they have saying certain words or with word organization. For me, it helps to stay in tune with how the child feels about his or her issue and progress,” Womble said.
