Tools for Empowerment and Change

Tennessee Disability MegaConference2012

If You Are Happy

and You Know It,

Your Students Will Surely

Show It!

Social-Emotional Intelligence is a 21st Century Skill for Teaschers and Students which is essential

for progress and success.

Objectives:

• Define social/emotional intelligence using the processes at work in the human brain needed to develop this “IQ.”

• Develop an awareness of your own social/emotional skills and assess where you are in your own process of social/emotional development

• Explore some resources in order to begin developing a plan for modeling healthy and appropriate social/emotional behaviors when teaching because of the important role a healthy social/emotional IQ plays in the lives of learners and their cognitive development

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Albert Einstein said…

"A human being is a part of a whole...[but] he experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest...This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."

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Good Morning!

• How are you feeling right now?• How do you think others around you are

feeling? What clues/signals help you with determining how you think others are feeling?

Definition of FEELINGS

the function or the power of perceiving by touch. physical sensation not connected with sight, hearing, taste, or smell. a consciousness or vague awareness: a feeling of inferiority. an emotion or emotional perception or attitude: a feeling of joy; a feeling

of sorrow. capacity for emotion, esp. compassion: to have great feeling for the

sufferings of others. a sentiment; attitude; opinion: The general feeling was in favor of the

proposal. feelings, sensibilities; susceptibilities: to hurt one's feelings.

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Definition of EMOTION

an affective state of consciousness in which joy, sorrow, fear, hate, or the like, is experienced, as distinguished from cognitive and volitional states of consciousness.

any of the feelings of joy, sorrow, fear, hate, love, etc. any strong agitation of the feelings actuated by experiencing love, hate,

fear, etc., and usually accompanied by certain physiological changes, as increased heartbeat or respiration, and often overt manifestation, as crying or shaking.

something that causes such a reaction: the powerful emotion of a great symphony.

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•Why can’t we hide our emotions completely from other people?•Sometimes we can “control” our emotions and other times we lose control…why?

•Mirror neurons•Mirror neurons affect on amygdala

Let’s take a look at what is going on inside our brains when we experience emotions or feelings?

Signal from body through brain stemAmygdala-emotional or limbic center of the brainPrefrontal or neocortex-executive function-provides a filter so that we don’t say everything we think

Brain Hand Model

• Dan Siegel

Reflection Question:

What knowledge, skills, and qualities do students need to possess by the time they graduate from high school?

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)SEL is the process whereby children and adults develop essential social and emotional skills, knowledge, and attitudes related to:

SEL

Self-awareness

Social awareness

Relationship skills

Responsible decision-making

Self-management

Forming positiverelationships, working in

teams, dealing effectivelywith conflict

Making ethical, constructive choices

about personal and social behavior

Managing emotions and behaviors to

achieve one’s goals

Showing understanding and empathy for others

Recognizing one’s emotions and values as well as one’s strengths and limitations

SEL Teaches 21st Century Skills

• Critical thinking and problem-solving• Ethics and social responsibility• Communication• Teamwork and collaboration• Lifelong learning and self-direction• Leadership• Global awareness

Possible SEL Goals

1) Develop self-awareness and self-management skills to achieve school and life success

2) Use social awareness and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive relationships

3) Demonstrate decision-making skills and responsible behaviors in personal, school, and community contexts

How Do You Promote Social and Emotional Competency?

Skill developmentProviding explicit skills instruction for all students

Learning environmentCreating safe, caring, well-managed learning

environments

Why Promote Students’ Social and Emotional Competency?

Students who receive SEL instruction are:• more connected to teachers and school• more engaged in learning• more motivated to learn• more well behaved/less likely to engage in problem

behavior• able to perform better on achievement tests and get

better gradesSource: Zins, Weissberg, Wang, & Walberg (2004). Building Academic Success on Social and

Emotional Learning (SEL): What Does the Research Say?

SEL Improves Academic Outcomes

• 23% increase in skills

• 9% improvement in attitudes about self,others, and school

• 9% improvement in prosocial behavior

• 9% reduction in problem behaviors

• 10% reduction in emotional distress

• 11% increase in standardized achievement test scores (math and reading)

Source: Durlak, J.A., Weissberg, R.P., Taylor, R.D., & Dymnicki, A.B. (submitted for publication). The effects of school-based social and emotional learning: A meta-analytic review.

Excerpts from TN State Board of Education Policy, Standards, and Guidelines

Schools are encouraged to develop and maintain a positive school climate ensuring a global approach to addressing barriers to learning and promoting resilience in children. Current laws regarding the prevention of hazing, bullying, and intimidation should be fully implemented as an essential element in the protection of student mental health and the fostering of a positive school climate.

According to the Tennessee Comprehensive School Counseling Model and other curriculum standards, schools should provide students with effective early intervention activities such as social and emotional learning, positive behavior supports and strength-based developmental assets.

School personnel are encouraged to create a plan whereby appropriate staff can provide proactive on-site support services to students having social, emotional, and mental health concerns, including those students that do not meet criteria for special education services. TN Dept. of Ed. SBOE rule 0520-2-2-.26, SBOE Standards and Guidelines 5.103

What is Intelligence/IQ?

David Wechsler, who created the IQ test that all of us have taken, defined intelligence as the aggregate or global capacity of the individual to act purposefully, to think rationally, and to deal effectively with his environment.

As early as 1940 he referred to non-intellective as well as intellective elements by which he meant affective, personal, and social factors.

Furthermore, as early as 1943 Wechsler was proposing that the non-intellective abilities are essential for predicting one’s ability to succeed in life.

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Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones Sticks and stones may break my bonesBut words could never hurt me.And this I knew was surely trueAnd truth could not desert me. But now I know it is not soI’ve changed the latter part;For sticks and stones may break the bonesBut words can break the heart. Sticks and stones may break the bonesBut leave the spirit wholeBut simple words can break the heartOr silence crush the soul. --Herb Warren04/18/23 29

Emotion + Intelligence = EIEmotional Intelligence must somehow combine twoof the three states of mind: cognition and affect, or

intelligence and emotion.

Emotional intelligence is --• the ability to perceive emotions • to access and generate emotions so as to assist

thought• to understand emotions and emotional knowledge• to reflectively regulate emotions so as to promote

emotional and intellectual growth

- Mayer & Salovey, 1997

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These four areas are further defined, as follows:

• Identifying Emotions - the ability to recognize how you and those around you are feeling.

• Using Emotions to Facilitate Thought - the ability to generate an emotion, and then reason with this emotion. (Also called Emotional Facilitation of Thought, or Assimilating Emotions.)

• Understanding Emotions - the ability to understand complex emotions and emotional "chains", how emotions transition from one stage to another.

• Managing Emotions - the ability which allows you to manage emotions in your self and in others.

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Heart and Head CombinedEmotional Intelligence is not the opposite of

intelligence, it is not the triumph of head over heart - it is the unique intersection of both.

Emotional Intelligence combines affect with cognition, emotion with intelligence.

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Another definition of Emotional Intelligence and Social Intelligence (Social Skills)

The ability to • recognize your own feelings • identify and understand the feelings of others • manage your own emotions • manage your relationships with others • make good decisions and act effectively

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Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence

Goleman’s definition

• Hay Group : What is emotional intelligence?

http://www.haygroup.com/leadershipandtalentondemand/video/details.aspx?id=302&c=2

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• Where are you in your emotional intelligence process?

• Are there qualities that are reflected through the personal and social competencies that you feel are strengths of yours?

• Are there qualities that you would like to know more about or enhance?

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Reflecting on Your Inner Terrain…• Define your inner terrain.• Does your inner terrain have both rocky mountains

and smooth valleys, trickling streams and crashing oceans, arid deserts and lush rainforests?

• How well do you know your inner terrain?• Do inner terrain and emotional intelligence share any

commonalities?

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Acknowledging your strengths and weaknesses without judgment is a key sign of emotional intelligence

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What does emotional intelligence look like, sound like, feel like?

• So how does the theory of emotional intelligence translate into everyday life?

• Let’s look at a comparison between High and Low Emotional Intelligence on the next slide.

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What does emotional intelligence look like?

High Emotional Intelligence • Uses “I” messages• Can openly express feelings• Isn’t preoccupied with negative emotions• Reads nonverbal language effectively• Makes decisions based on feelings and logic• Accepts self and others• Can apply self-responsibility• Can communicate assertively• Is motivated by personal meaning• Is emotionally resilient• Promotes the optimistic point of view• Can identify the feelings of others• Doesn’t blame others for mistakes• Says, “I feel…”• Reacts to hurt by processing feelings• Reacts to grief by sharing feelings• Usually feels respected and competent• Is a good listener• Talks out problems or miscommunications

Low Emotional Intelligence• Makes blame statements• Cannot share feelings verbally• Lets negative feelings dominate• Is oblivious to nonverbal communication• Acts without reasoning or logic• Is not accepting of self or others• Has not learned to accept responsibility• Uses passive or aggressive communication• Is motivated by rewards and instant gratification• Carries grudges; is unforgiving• Focuses on the negative point of view• Is not perceptive of the feelings of others• Feels it is always someone else’s fault• Says, “YOU always…”• Reacts to hurt with physical violence• Reacts to grief by stifling emotions• Usually feels inadequate and defensive• Is a poor listener• Acts out when there is a problem

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Some days are better than others!

All of use behaviors and patterns from both lists, and most days we are more on the high end—however, there are some times when there is no avoiding pieces from the low end. That’s when we have to remember what all of us need to function…

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The 7 Profoundly Powerful, Profoundly Simple Techniques for Increasing EI

• Take time every day to appreciate what’s right in the world and in your life.

• Increase your feeling word vocabulary.• Be your own best friend.• Listen with your heart.• Talk back to yourself.• Tune in to your body.• Smile more.

compiled by Kate Cannon

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Thoughts to consider…• Based on what we have learned about emotional intelligence,

reflect on the following statements:

• “If there is anything we wish to change in a child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves.” C. Jung

• Emotional intelligence requires you to take 100% responsibility for the outcome of all your actions.

• Focus on changing yourself and not the other person.

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• Being intelligent about emotions means that we can perceive and use emotions to create optimal relationships and produce desired outcomes.

• How do we use our emotional intelligence to build relationships?

• If personality is fixed by first grade, what is our responsibility for the persons we serve?

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TOOLS/RESOURCES FOR DEVELOPING SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Can Emotional Intelligence Be Taught?

“The good news about emotional intelligence is that it is virtually all learned.”

-- Goleman (from O’Neil, 1996)

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The Research

• In every field, your EI is twice as important as your cognitive abilities.

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Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence

RULER Skills

To create caring, productive, and engaging learning environments, where children thrive cognitively and become successful citizens, we must provide learning opportunities to develop the skills of emotional intelligence which include-

Recognizing UnderstandingLabeling EMOTIONSExpressing Regulating

Research in US and British schools shows that the RULER approach enhances children’s social skills, emotional and academic competence, decreases aggression and anxiety, reduces suspension rates, increases motivation, and enhances school climate by creating classrooms where teachers and students treat each other more respectfully and have positive relationships.

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Where to learn more: See “Friends & Feelings: Social-Emotional Development in Young Children — Selected Resources” online at http://ccids.umaine.edu/resources/ec-growingideas/socemores/See “Friends & Feelings: Social-Emotional Development in Young Children — Virtual Toolkit” online at http://ccids.umaine.edu/resources/ec-growingideas/socemovtk/

What are the “non academic” skills?

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Non Academic SkillsSocial Skills and Classroom Conduct• Initiates his/her own leisure time activity• Understands role as part of a group• Interacts and defends without aggression• Expresses emotions and affections appropriately• Plays appropriately- shares toys and materials• Lines up and waits appropriately• Sits appropriately in a chair or on the floor• Listens to stories or to the teacher without

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More skills….Task-related Behaviors• Finds and cares for materials needed for specific tasks• Does not disrupt peers or teachers during activities• Complies quickly with teacher instructions• Follows task directions in small or large groups• Monitors own behavior- knows when a task is done.• Begins and completes work at appropriate time without extra teacher

attention.• Stays in own space.• Attends to teacher in a large group• Finishes one activity before starting another• Makes choices• Follows routine in transitions• Seeks attention appropriately.

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And More Skills…..Self Help and Communication Skills• Follows two to three part directions• Initiates and maintains peer interactions• Modifies behavior when given verbal feedback• Recalls and follows directions for tasks described

previously• Communicates wants and needs• Follows group instructions• Locates and cares for own belongings• Cares for own toileting needs• Tries strategies to solve problems

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Practical strategies video

• CSEFEL: Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learninghttp://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel/resources/practical_%20strategies.html

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Out of control emotions

Impair reasoning (even smart people sometimes act stupidly)

Can result in not choosing the best response

May increase the likelihood that you will escalate the child’s behavior

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Providing guidance and protecting yourrelationship

• Show empathy for his situation– (“Josh, I know it makes you angry and it’s hard to react

calmly when someone insults you, but it’s not okay to ruin his work”)

• Attribute the best possible motives to him– (“Ryan, I’m sure you and Patrick were talking about the story,

but when you and I are talking at the same time no one can hear”);

• Offer the child a choice– (“Andrew, you have a choice to make. Would you rather be

Ben’s partner or walk to the park with me?”).

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Non verbal communication

• Allow your facial expression and stance to match what you are saying.

• Match their general stance.• Mirror/lead their actions.• The quality of your voice should match the child’s

voice.• Tone• Cadence• Speed• Volume

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One more time…

• Emotional Intelligence is the ability to understand your emotional make-up and the emotional make-up of others in order to make good decisions and act effectively.

Barbara Kaiser

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Presentation Resources

Brackett, M.A. Health, Emotion and Behavior Lab, Yale University. The Ruler Approach - www.therulerapproach.org

Bruno, H.E., “The Neurobiology of Emotional Intelligence – Using Our Brain to Stay Cool Under Pressure.” Young Children, pp. 22-27, Jan. 2011

CSEFEL: Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learninghttp://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel/resources/practical_%20strategies.html

Goleman, D. 1995. Emotional Intelligence. New York: Bantam

Goleman, D. 1998. Working with emotional intelligence. New York: Bantam

Goleman, D. 2006. Social Intelligence: The new science of human relationships. New York: Bantam

Salovey, P., M. A. Brackett, and J. Mayer, eds. 2004. Emotional intelligence: Key Readings in the Mayer and Salovy model. Port Chester, NY: Dude Press.

Presentation Resources Continuedwww.casel.org

www.drdanseigel.com-resources

The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Stetson and Associates www.stetsonassociates.com

Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation, Georgetown Universitys

Children’s Social Competence Checklist www.IllinoisEarlyLearning.org

Friends & Feelings: Social-Emotional Development in Young Children — Selected Resources” online at http://ccids.umaine.edu/resources/ec-growingideas/socemores/

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“If there is anything that we wish to

change in the child, we should first

examine it and see whether it is not

something that could better bechanged in ourselves.”

Carl Jung