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California State University, Dominguez Hills
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Created: November 22, 2001
Latest Update: November 22, 2001
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jeannecurran@habermas.org
Olivier at tapcourse@yahoo.com
takata@uwp.edu

jeanne's imaginary of Proud of Us Proud of Us

Emotional Literacy:
linking the hearts and minds of learners

Teaching and Review Essay by Jeanne Curran and Susan R. Takata
Copyright: Jeanne Curran and Susan R. Takata: November 2001.
and Individual Authors. "Fair Use" encouraged.

This essay is based on a recent post (given below) by Steve Buckholdt to the School of Emotional Literacy group on Yahoo (steve@buckholdtassociates.com). Emotional Literacy is one of the areas we in education lost sight of along with moral and ethical literacy in our schools. The Buckholdt site offers both practical and theoretical guides to this area in K-12.

In connection with this essay, see also: There Are Only Three Kinds of Psychotherapy by Paul Genova, M.D. Psychiatric Times. November 2001, Vol. XVIII, Issue 11. backup

School of Emotional Literacy Newsletter
November 22, 2001

Contents:

Quote for Today:

"Teaching Emotional Literacy is something no computer, no machine can ever do. Nothing is as powerful as the human touch in education: the ability to whisper in a students ear, give a pat on the back and say "You're right! That's a very interesting way of looking at it." George Lucas Chairman of the GLEF in Edutopia Magazine

From the Principal:

"Hello and welcome to the first ELink Ezine. We put up the School site a few months ago just to register our presence and low and behold people began to sign up to hear more about this project and Emotional Literacy. Thank you for this, and I hope that this newsletter will be the start of having your interest and curiosity satisfied. I will send it out every month and hope that this is often enough to keep you involved but not too often to turn you off. I am very conscious of my own email inbox and the dubious joys of seeing sixty or more emails to skim though when I download in the morning and again in the afternoon. I will rely on you to tell me what sort of frequency of update you like.

I have had the great pleasure of seeing the interest in Emotional Literacy grow over the twenty years I have been involved in it to the point we are at today when the phrase is fairly well known and the importance of emotional competence is very well recognised. In the States social and emotional learning, the character development movement and the fascinating material from the learning revolution have been gradually growing in strength and influence over the last ten years. Here in the UK we have been experimenting in small `cocoons' with the ideas and principles and now seem to have reached some sort of critical mass and are ready to talk openly and proudly about the initiatives we have set in motion to link the hearts and minds of learners. In these newsletters I will be mentioning some of these projects that are now acting as the mother plants from which we can collect the seeds of the strategies that worked and the lessons learnt and take them out to plant in other fields and gardens. You can tell what I was doing last weekend, can't you!

I would always welcome your thoughts, contributions and ideas and look forward to establishing talking, albeit electronically, to you over the months ahead.

Elizabeth
Elizabeth@schoolofemotional-literacy.com

Primary School Stories:

  • Using the Self Esteem Indicator

    In 6 Primary Schools we have a new research project to test the use of the Self Esteem Indicator developed by Elizabeth Morris. The research project is being run by retired primary teacher Lynn Boyland and will form part of a series of books being written for NFER- Nelson, due to be published next year.

    The research involves volunteer teachers who have identified certain children as having vulnerable self esteem being interviewed by Lynn for up to an hour. In the interview they will go over the Indicator, using it to explore their observations about the children. The Indicator is then used to highlight which of the three key components of self esteem the child is weakest in and which the strongest. This information is then used to make the best selection of the most relevant psychological permissions (as mentioned above). After a period of weeks when the permissions will be used regularly and consistently by the teacher Lynn will return to do another interview. At this one the Indicator will be used to structure the discussion about the child and their behaviour over the time period when the permissions were being used.

    The anecdotal evidence we have so far is that the ability to assess which of the components of self esteem is lacking has been very effective in helping teachers to help their pupils develop stronger self esteem. We will keep you informed about the results we get from the more formal test.

    Nota Bene. We are looking for more primary and secondary schools to take part in this research ­ please contact us if you are willing and able! Lynn Boyland 01452 74 1106)

Secondary School Stories:

  • Hampstead and a whole school Emotional Literacy Approach

    Hampstead School in London has taken a giant step forward to integrating Emotional Literacy into their school by deciding to train representatives from senior management, governors, heads of year and the school behaviour support unit in Emotional Literacy.

    Twelve participants have begun the Certificate in Emotional Literacy for Educators and are finding it an exciting way to formalise their knowledge and activities in the pastoral work they have already been doing with the pupils. Not only that, it is challenging them to look at areas such as nutrition for the brain, how to teach listening skills to everyone and the ways that Multiple Intelligence theory can be incorporated into their classrooms.

    One of the most exciting elements of the Certificate is the use of Action Learning Projects. Each participant will conduct an ALP on an area of Emotional Literacy and it's applications that particularly interests them. This means that the school will benefit from twelve original and focused interventions which will be evaluated and tested rigorously as part of the project.

    (More information about the Certificate can be obtained by emailing info@schoolofemotional-literacy.com)

Taking Emotional Literacy Forward: Projects in UK and Europe

  • Discovering Discovery

    Cheryl Buggy, creator of the Discovery Emotional Intelligence Project, works with Portsmouth LEA. She has put together an exciting programme of Continuing Professional Development programmes for the teachers and staff of a cluster of six schools in the Paulsgrove area of Portsmouth. She was responding to the requests of 6 head teachers who wanted SOMETHING ANYTHING that would help them help their children achieve personal and academic success.

    The Discovery Programme has already trained 1100 staff members in a wide range of specialist areas such as using meditation in the classrooms, mentoring, multiple intelligences, using EQ diaries, positive thinking, colour sensory imaging, goal mapping….. and much more. One of the schools is acting as a host for the EQ Library and has many books, tapes and inspirational items to help build EQ Smarts in pupils and staff alike.

    Local business people are taking a keen interest too. Many adults have sad and bad memories of school days and feel excited by the Discovery Project with its promise of a better time for all during those important growing up years. Management at the Portsmouth Marriot Hotel are amongst the most enthusiastic supporters the project has got donating prizes and taking special care of the participants during the training days.

    More news next month……..

Recommended Reading:

Latest Article:

  • Latest Press Release
  • Anger Management Link to Anger Management in the left-most column on the School of Emotional Literacy Site.

    Thanks
    Stephen Austin
    Webmaster
    School of Emotional Literacy

    Professional Training in Emotional Literacy for Educators
    Building Self Esteem in Children courses
    Assessment of Self Esteem and Emotional Intelligence in Young People
    Resource packs for Building Self Esteem in Children

    Stephen Austin
    School of Emotional Literacy
    Buckholdt House
    The Street
    Frampton on Severn
    Gloucestershire
    GL2 7 ED

    Tel: +44 (0) 1452 74 1106
    Fax: +44 (0) 1452 74 1520
    email: steve@schoolofemotional-literacy.com
    http://www.schoolofemotional-literacy.com

    Subscribe:

    Would you like to receive the free newsletter on Emotional Literacy? You can subscribe to this Newsletter on the School for Emotional Literacy Homepage!

    "This communication is confidential to the addressee shown in the main text of the message. . . . " This means that you shouldn't copy or distribute this except for educational purposes that come under the Fair Use Doctrine. I try to put up one of these newsletters each semester so that you can subscribe for yourself, if it fits your personal interests. jeanne