Teacher workshop on Handling EQ.

A workshop on Handling the Emotion Quotient effectively was conducted on 30th June by Principal Ms. Tania Joshi and Vice Principal-Senior Counsellor Ms. Sukhmeen Cheema. It aimed to reiterate why it is important to comprehend one's own emotions and those of others we interact with. It offered several practical solutions about how one can manage personal emotions so that we can use and harness them as we will and not get governed by them!

The workshop began with explaining the difference between the IQ (Intellectual Quotient) and EQ (Emotional Quotient) which is often used interchangeably without realising that there is a great difference between the two and their importance.

IQ is something that a person is born with and cannot be acquired but EQ is acquired over the years with experience. Both have their own value and importance. While our IQ helps us get a job, our EQ makes it possible for us to not only sustain in that job but also succeed in it.

As teachers we cannot disconnect our emotions from our intellects. Responding with empathy and intelligence to the circumstances of others they colleagues or students, has to be one of the most important skills we, as teachers must possess.

The workshop emphasised the importance of understanding our own emotions and taking control of them. Emotional intelligence drives us to acknowledge and value feelingsin ourselves and in others. It drives us to respond appropriately to feelings; to effectively apply the input underlying the emotion; and to harness the energy from the emotion for useful work that benefits us. An Emotional Intelligence Test was also conducted as a questionnaire divided into 4 parts: -

1. Reading people 2. Using emotions 3. Understanding emotions 4. Managing emotions

This provided insight to every teacher of her EI and the areas of improvement to enable them to handle difficult situations in the workplace. The test aimed at measuring the varied aspects of the EI by asking questions about our own understanding of our emotions and attitudes ( our consequent reactions) in various situations.

EI not only influences our individualities, personalities, interests and values but also contributes to making us the persons we are. It comprises a set of competencies demonstrating the ability to recognise ones own emotions, regulating them, understanding the emotions of others and striking a perfect balance between them to succeed professionally.

Diverse real life situations encountered by teachers in their profession were demonstrated with role play by the teachers themselves, to present an opportunity to introspect and explore ways of handling similar situations effectively in future.

In a nutshell the workshop was all about:

showing empathy attending to and identifying one's emotions recognising the emotions of others accurately controlling over our emotions responding with appropriate conduct in various real situations.

Ms. Vandana Tewari.