Self-Science: Emotional Intelligence for Children

Karen Stone-McCown
Ann Hathaway McCormick

Goals and preconditions. The primary goal of this theory is to foster children's emotional development. At a more detailed level, five goals include: (1) legitimizing self-knowledge as valuable subject matter, (2) developing a trusting attitude toward members of one's class, (3) becoming more aware of the multiple and layered feelings one has, (4) developing communication skills for affective states, (5) disclosing one's thoughts and feelings, (6) enhancing self-esteem, (7) accepting responsibility for one's attitudes and actions, (8) becoming aware of one's major concerns/worries/anxieties, (9) recognizing one's present behavioral patterns and learning styles, and (10) experimenting with alternative behavioral patterns, such as choosing optimism and hope. This theory was developed for a school with grades 1-8 and requires support from the administration, teachers, and parents for a Self-Science course to succeed.

Values. Some of the values upon which this theory is based include:

1. self awareness, impulse control, persistence, zeal, self-motivation, empathy, and social deftness as survival skills for working and loving,
2. addressing each child's individual needs,
3. a safe, trusting environment for fostering emotional development.

Methods. The major methods of this theory are:

The "Trumpet Process," which includes the following steps for students to take:
1. Share experiences, to provide a common reference point for discussion.
2. Inventory your responses: what did you think, feel, and do?
3. Recognize your patterns of unique behavior.
4. Own your patterns and understand how each serves you.
5. Consider the consequences of each pattern (benefits and costs).
6. Allow alternative patterns-explore the options.
7. Evaluate the alternatives.
8. Choose the best one for each situation.

Teaching methods:

1. Use an appropriate class structure, such as two teachers working as a team, class size of 12-15, class sessions of 40-50 minutes, content is determined by each child's circumstances, begin each class by gaining a sense of the mood of the group, avoid the tendency of the teacher to take over the discussion.
2. Create a safe environment by having a focusing activity that builds trust and collaboration; also build trust by expressing feelings openly, labeling actions clearly, giving feedback and reassurance, participating in games, and being sensitive to each child's needs.
3. Set ground rules, especially for how communication takes place: respect the confidentiality of other students, no "killer" statements, communicate during conflicts, use I-messages, don't require a new student to participate.
4. Use questioning techniques, focusing on what, not why, and focusing on similarities and differences in students' responses, with an underlying premise of respect for the thoughts and feelings of others.
5. Use such teaching techniques as dialogue, role-playing, social experiments, simulations from real life, games with rules, guided fantasy, expression through art, and keeping a journal.

Variable teaching methods:

1. For grades 1-2, help students become aware of the variety, intensity, and shifting of their feelings.
2. For grades 3-4, help students become aware of the tension caused by concern for social acceptance.
3. For grades 5-6, help students to set healthy boundaries within their families and social groups.
4. For grades 7-8, help students to build healthy images of their emerging adult self, their friendships, and their choices in the world.

Major contribution. Proven techniques for fostering children's emotional development in grades 1-8.