Creating a New Generation of Emotionally Intelligent Teachers and Leaders

It starts and stops with our teachers and leaders.

Think back to your school experience. Who was your favourite teacher? I bet it was the one that saw you. Like realllllly saw you. The teacher who valued you, had a laugh with you and embraced you for who you were. They’re the teachers we need more of. The teachers that prioritise building strong relationships with their children rather than running around like a headless chook, worrying about data! Yes, I know, I know, data is still really important but surely it’s not the be all and end all? Is student compliance and tracking every single piece of data really allowing our children to flourish? Or should we be focusing more on teaching our students social and emotional wellbeing tools in order to set them up for a successful life? Just look at the recent mental health statistics. What do we want for the next generation of children? Can’t we prioritise social and emotional wellbeing AND literacy and numeracy skills? Well, yes, I think we can! A child’s social and emotional wellbeing underpins all academic learning. So how do we make the shift? It starts with the teacher's knowledge and teaching philosophy and support from leadership.

It is becoming increasingly clear that we need a new approach to supporting children’s behaviour and it starts with us, the educators. As we continue to understand more about the impact of trauma on children and the way they learn, adopting a trauma informed, non-punitive approach is necessary to create a truly emotionally, physically and mentally safe learning environment for our students in order for them to thrive. Now leaders, you need to be on board too. A whole school approach is much more potent than leaving it up to an individual teacher to carry the load. 

One of the key components of a trauma informed approach is an emphasis on the teacher having strong emotional intelligence. We know that when a teacher is dysregulated, the chances of children being able to regulate are slim. Teachers who can identify and understand their own emotions can effectively respond rather than react to chaotic moments in the classroom. They are better equipped to co-regulate and remain calm when students need them the most. Children deserve anchored adults who support them in meeting their needs and who see underneath their challenging behaviour, knowing that this behaviour is asking for connection or a need to be met. When students are regulated and their needs are met, they are able to access the learning in their classroom. Adopting a trauma informed approach is not just beneficial for individual students, but for the entire classroom. Students who feel safe and supported are more likely to take risks, ask questions, and engage in meaningful learning (Brunzell & Norrish, 2021). By creating a positive, inclusive learning environment, teachers can inspire a love of learning that will last a lifetime.

As we know, all behaviour is communication. The behaviourist approach has dominated education for many years. This approach focuses on using rewards and punishments to motivate student behaviour and disregards the fact that there might be an underlying root cause, explaining why a student might be presenting certain behaviours on the surface. This can be detrimental for students who have experienced trauma or who are neurodivergent as these students learn differently to neurotypical students. Is a classroom truly inclusive if teachers aren’t catering to EVERY student's needs? Rewards, like punishments, are very effective at producing compliance (Kohn, 2018). Do we want to continue to reinforce a ‘do this and you’ll get that’ culture? One minute parents are buying their child a lollipop for working well, next it’s a new toy for behaving and before they know it, they’re buying them a new car just for graduating from University! Is compliance REALLY the end goal? Is that why you became a teacher, to get children to comply? I think not. I understand that engaging and supporting a room full of children is difficult, but it’s important to revisit why you became an educator in the first place? If you truly want to impact children’s lives and equip them with skills that are going to serve them for the rest of their lives, then using coercion tactics as a basis for supporting children aint it! 

We’re ready for teachers to adopt a more supportive approach to behaviour that recognises the individual needs of each student. An approach that meets children where they’re at, values them for their uniqueness and encourages their strengths. Incorporating SEL into daily practice and focusing on teacher and student wellbeing are important pillars of facilitating this guided approach. As mentioned earlier, it starts with us as educators. The way we show up in the classroom is detrimental to effectively facilitating our inclusive classrooms without a punitive approach. Modeling strategies that help us regulate, naming and taming our emotions and speaking about the brain with students’ equips students with the knowledge and skills to live a fulfilling and purposeful life. When students feel valued, seen and heard, have their needs met and are able to understand themselves better, only then are they able to access the curriculum.

I’m on a mission to help create a new generation of emotionally intelligent teachers and leaders who place importance on adopting a non punitive, trauma informed, inclusive approach to teaching and learning. This approach recognises the impact of trauma on student behaviour and emphasises strong emotional intelligence and individualised support. By moving away from a behaviourist approach and towards a more supportive approach that values each student as an individual, teachers can create a positive and inspiring learning environment that helps all students thrive ensuring that every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Em x

If you're ready to learn more about emotional intelligence and managing your classroom without rewards and punishments, join my Masterclass: EQ for Educators.