Emotional Intelligence and the Next Generation of Teachers

Abstract

High stress levels and rising rates of burnout within the teaching occupation call for novel means of improving teacher stress management and well-being, which are key to effective teaching and student success. Growing evidence indicates that developing emotional intelligence (EI) through training can positively impact a wide range of psychological outcomes, leading to improved health and well-being, and would appear to have direct application to supporting teacher wellness. This chapter reviews a program of research on EI training delivered to several groups of preservice teachers with the purpose of both enhancing EI competencies and reducing the stresses associated with teaching. Each phase of the training added and improved upon the initial program, ensured program fidelity, and assessed a range of outcomes. Outcome evaluation studies indicated that participants' trait EI increased at post-program and at 1-and 6-month follow-ups compared to control participants who did not receive the EI training. Further, the program participants' stress indicators decreased alongside an increase in adaptive coping, resiliency, and teacher efficacy. Ultimately, EI training is aimed at preventing teacher burnout by building the capacity to manage the everyday challenges of the classroom. Such empirically based EI programs are recommended as a direct and systemic component of professional development for teachers prior to and throughout their teaching careers. The research literature continues to report both new and replicated findings demonstrating that emotional intelligence (EI) is related to a number of personal and performance life factors related to psychological health and well-being. These findings have been reported in a wide range of groups and populations including school