We knew that we were not just teachers instructing math and science; we needed to focus on the whole child. There are many guidelines and manuals to which educators can refer in order to do this. However, there are no directions to facilitate teaching social and emotional intelligence. According to Daniel Goleman, an expert in this field, “IQ is only a minor predictor of success in life, while emotional and social skills are a far better predictor of success and well-being than academic intelligence.”
Educators decide upon their careers for a diverse number of reasons. When we entered this profession, it was to work with children and to make a difference in their lives. Now, as the years have passed, we realize that it is about more than just social studies and mathematics. It is about each child in his or her own entirety, a chance to open those minds which seem to have been lost in the confusing world of social nuances.