Developing Emotional Intelligence

Intelligence Quotient (IQ) is a measure of a person’s reasoning ability to gauge how well someone can use information and logic to answer questions or make predictions. Emotional Intelligence, on the other hand, also known as Emotional Quotient (EQ), is conceptually based on parents and children who develop strengths in more than just academics. 

At La Jolla Montessori School, a bilingual preschool thru Kindergarten, the four core components of developing your child’s Emotional Intelligence include:

• Building Relationships
• Becoming Self-Motivated
• Learning Empathy and Self-Awareness, and
• Reinforcing Emotional Control.

Building Relationships

The Montessori Method teaches that for a child to listen to an adult, the child must be listened to first. 

So, when parents have an engaging relationship with their child to help and participate with the family, then the child becomes part of a successful communications process.

Often, averting problems is as simple as asking the child what it is that they want. If a child has a say, then, both parent and child can determine what’s best for the child by t-a-l-k-i-n-g.

Another element: Montessori teachers guide students to figure things out on their own. At La Jolla Montessori School, students earn self-respect and teachers earn trust because all parties feel heard and validated. 

Self-Motivation

A big part of creating and becoming self-motivated is allowing your child to make mistakes. Montessori teachers are always encouraging children to try again so they can succeed in their particular tasks. By reviewing past successes with the child, teachers remind them that doing it right takes time—but, you can do it! When a child believes that, he or she becomes motivated to keep trying.

Another way the Montessori Method helps increase a child’s motivation is the concept of letting children make their own choices and work at their own speed to ultimately get it right.

Empathy and Self-Awareness

In today’s world, Americans come from all different places and backgrounds. Thus, a diverse classroom is helpful in showing each student how other people live and feel.

Usually, a child only looks inward. But, understanding that different people have different viewpoints because they have different backgrounds is how students learn that other people are separate and different from them. And, all points of view are valid. This builds a self-awareness where a child begins to understand how their emotions and drive affects others.

Emotional Control

In the Montessori classroom, students learn how to identify their feelings while identifying strategies to help them manage their emotions. Teachers use positive self-talk, visualizations, and re-framing past interactions to help students manage their feelings.

Summary

Following the 110 year-old Montessori Method system, we are developing emotional intelligence in children. In turn, these children are confident and academically superior students who will succeed in Workforce 2040.

Tour La Jolla Montessori School and see how your child can thrive: https://lajollamontessorischool.com/book-a-tour/.