The Power of Emotional Intelligence: A Primary School Toolkit

We’ve all been told emotional intelligence is a good thing, but are we really clear about what it is and how we can all get more of it? We know it helps children self-regulate, be more motivated, maintain relationships and be more resilient, but how do we go about accessing these benefits?

The Power of Emotional Intelligence will help primary school teachers and leaders to increase their awareness and use of emotional intelligence to improve the wellbeing of the whole school community. It includes everything you need to embed emotional intelligence at the core of your school’s ethos.

This practical book:

• explores key issues relating to emotional intelligence to help develop adults’ understanding
• contains a wealth of activities that can be used with children to help develop their emotional intelligence, with extra focus given to anger and anxiety, as well as the impact emotions can have on learning and relationships
• covers the beneficial impact of emotional intelligence when supporting challenging behaviour
• outlines a straightforward emotional intelligence curriculum that ties into the personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) schemes of work; and
• provides ideas for developing a whole-school approach to putting emotional intelligence firmly on the agenda.

This comprehensive resource has been written with teachers and school leaders in mind – particularly PSHE leads, special educational needs co-ordinators and those who work in pupil referral units and alternative provisions; but it is a useful tool for all adults working with children who are looking to improve children’s self-awareness and wellbeing.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Part 1: Understanding emotions – information for adults

Part 2: Activities to use with children to support the development of emotional intelligence

Part 3: A closer look at some individual emotions

Part 4: A closer look at anger

Part 5: A focus on worry and anxiety

Part 6: Relationships and emotions

Part 7: Emotions and learning

Part 8: Emotional intelligence and supporting behaviour

Part 9: A whole school approach to emotional intelligence

Appendices