Your child’s success is 80% dependent upon emotional intelligence. Research has established that 80% of our success in all areas our lives is the result of emotional Intelligence skills. We all know very intelligent people who are unable to reach their potential. As a result of social and emotional factors, success eludes them. The focus for success is on IQ and academic skill development. We have ignored the need for the development of the right brain that houses the emotional brain. Both brains need to work together with full maturation to ensure reaching one’s potential. How do we know this is true?
What Is Research Telling Us?
Much has been learned about the human brain’s functioning in the last 40years. As a result, we know that we have two functioning brains that house different aspects of our development. The left brain houses our cognitive development. The right brain houses our emotional and creative development. The emphasis of developing left side of the brain responsible for academic achievement and ignoring right brain abilities is commonplace. However, social and emotional learning(SEL) has become part of early childhood programming. Not because of research necessarily, challenging behaviors in many programs has been the driving force. Yet, parents have not bought into its need as necessary for ensuring success. What is research showing us about our right brain needs?
What Is Research Showing Us About Our Right Brain Needs?
The emotional brain within the right brain develops the fastest from birth to six. When the left brain is overstimulated with academic learning at a young age, the right brain suffers. Studies now are showing that the introduction of these skills too young, especially with children that are lacking the emotional development from secure and safe homes, it is detrimental to their succeeding academically. Eliminating active play inhibits the ability to enhance creativity, problem solving and managing emotions. All children do better academically when active play extends through at least kindergarten and emotional intelligence skill development becomes the primary focus. How do we create schools and classrooms promoting these skills on a daily basis?
How Do We Get Our Early Childhood Classrooms To Teach EQ?
If your child’s success is 80% dependent upon emotional intelligence, schools should be teaching EQ with regularity. All schools no matter the age group are subject to parental pressure. If parental pressure insists on academics at an early age then that is what the schools will be teaching. It is going to take an someone with a great amount of influence and nationwide visibility for this to happen. I am waiting for this day to happen. The research is there and science has made its case. Perhaps the present atmosphere we are living in will demand a change when they see our children are suffering and not progressing as they ought to be. Change never happens without a trigger. Let this be one of the more positive outcomes of our current situation.
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