Rojas, Michelle. (2012) The Missing Link: Emotional Intelligence in Teacher Preparation
(Doctoral dissertation, Arizona State University).
Introduction
In this dissertation study, Rojas (2012) studied two teacher candidates going through their teacher preparation program, specifically focusing on the development of their emotional and social skills. Her research question was, “How, and to what extent, does the implementation of the Six Seconds (Know Yourself, Give Yourself, Choose Yourself) model with teacher candidates in a master’s program in a high-needs urban middle school impact emotional intelligence and teacher satisfaction?”
Throughout the study, Rojas makes the case for emotional intelligence and how it’s a missing link in teacher preparation.“Fernandez-Berrocal, & Brackett (2008) argued that “teaching is considered to be one of the most stressful occupations” (p. 441) and training in emotional competencies can support teachers in coping with stressful environments. Jennings and Greenberg (2008) found that a socially and emotionally competent teacher is most effective at working with students, yet both pre-service and in-service training programs do not emphasize this aspect of the profession. A socially and emotionally competent teacher is one who has a strong understanding of his/her emotions, successfully manages emotions, and is self-aware and empathetic. A socially and emotionally competent teacher utilizes these skills to cope with the demands of teaching” (p.4). Rojas stresses the emotional impact that teaching can have on teachers. Teachers need to develop an awareness of their own emotional intelligence, the strengths and deficits, so that they can grow.
Organization
Because this is a dissertation, the author organized the study through chapters. This organization was logical and coherent and allowed the reader to understand how the author narrowed her focus through various research cycles. There are six chapters with major headings and subheadings below them. Within each chapter, there are bold headings, which help the reader to preview the topic before reading. She begins by establishing the purpose of the study- through telling a story of a teacher who experiences burnout from the teaching profession. She goes on to cite scholarly research about emotional intelligence as well as the studies that have been conducted within the educational setting. She then explains her study by describing the design and the participants. The last three chapters elaborate on her data, outcomes and findings from the study. She concludes the dissertation with a story from a superintendent’s keynote speech at a teacher preparation graduation. The speaker emphasized the importance of being able to connect with kids and build relationships with them. This conclusion leaves the reader feeling passionate about the topic.
One thing that stood out to me about this study is the way the author writes. She used vocabulary that was easy to understand and she wrote like she was telling a story.
Contribution to the Field
This study presents a strong case for integrating emotional intelligence training into a teacher education program. The author emphasized the importance of teachers having the ability to build relationships. Rojas states, “There are noteworthy implications of this research for teacher education programs, including the following: (1) The role of university coursework in emotional intelligence development; (2) The role of the site coordinator; (3) The role of the mentor teacher; (4) The use of a performance assessment process for EQ; and (5) Differentiated coursework to address the unique role of the middle school teacher candidate” (120).
Literature Review, Theoretical Framework/Lens
The literature was organized under literature topic subheadings. Under each subheading, the author provided substantial research to support each topic. These subheadings were labeled as follows:
- Emotional Intelligence/Social-Emotional Learning (describing what EQ is)
- Foundations: Importance of Emotions and Teaching (why EQ matters in teaching
- Teacher burnout (presenting data on teacher attrition)
- Emotions and Students, Middle school & high school children
- EI, Emotional Regulation Ability (ERA) and Measuring Emotion.
Some of the most salient ideas that stood out to me from the research involved the link between emotional intelligence and a teacher’s self-efficacy. Additionally, countless research substantiated the claim about the nature of the teaching profession, and how teachers needs to be equipped with the necessary tools to manage their emotions.
Data Collection
The author combined quantitative and qualitative techniques to perform the study. The study spanned over 12 weeks and focused on two teacher candidates. She notes, “In the master’s program, there were two teacher candidates who met the criteria and, as a result, were selected as the two participants for the study. The rationale for selecting this grade level was based on literature that asserted that the highest levels of burnout and emotional stress occurred with teachers who worked with adolescents. The candidates were in the second semester of a two-semester accelerated teacher education program” (p. 29).
One area that stood out to me as a possible area for improvement was the amount of teacher candidates who were involved in this study. Two students is a very small sample size and it seems as though it would be difficult to form conclusions and recommendations from this.
The Quantitative measures included: the Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence Assessment (SEI360) and a Pre/Post Teacher Satisfaction Scale (TSS). The Qualitative measures included a participant journal; Six Seconds training transcripts, SEI360 open-ended responses, researcher observations, and 1:1 semi- structured interviews.
Analysis/Findings
At the conclusion of her study, Rojas conducted an analysis of the data and created three assertions. She explained that emotional intelligence could be impacted if the three assertions are implemented. “Assertion 1–Emotional intelligence development starts with a commitment to change. Then, the SEI360 and KCG journal become valuable tools for impacting emotional intelligence development. Assertion 2–To develop emotional intelligence, teacher candidates must have the opportunity to continuously apply new skills and receive feedback in an environment conducive to EQ development. Assertion 3–The pursuit of a noble goal is critical to the application of all other emotional intelligence competencies” (86-117).
Discussion/Conclusions
Rojas found that her findings coincided with the research- there is “a critical need for emotionally intelligent educators and warns of the consequences of ignoring the role of emotions in the teaching profession. Researchers in emotions and teaching argue that “teaching is considered to be one of the most stressful occupations” (Palomera, Fernandez-Berrocal, & Brackett, 2008, p. 441) and teachers who are emotionally exhausted are at the greatest risk of burnout (Evers, Tomic, and Brouwers, 2005)” (p. 113).
References
Rojas, Michelle. (2012) The Missing Link: Emotional Intelligence in Teacher Preparation (Doctoral dissertation, Arizona State University).