Marc Brackett is “trying to build an emotionally intelligent New York.”
Brackett, director of the Yale Center of Emotional Intelligence, is teaming up with OCM BOCES to host interactive workshops for parents and teachers to learn how to raise emotionally intelligent children — that is, children who can manage their emotions effectively throughout life’s ups and downs.
Brackett will be holding three “Emotional Intelligence: Why It Matters” workshops next week: one for parents Sept. 30 at Fayetteville-Manlius High School, and two for educators Oct. 1 on the OCM BOCES campus in Liverpool.
Emotional intelligence is knowing how to manage one’s emotions, as well as reading and responding appropriately to other people’s emotions. Brackett developed the “RULER” method of improving one’s emotional intelligence: recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing and regulating emotions.
“People with more developed emotional intelligence have better relationships, are better at managing conflicts [and experience] less stress,” Brackett said. “People with underdeveloped emotional intelligence tend to misread people, have poor mental health and make worse decisions.”
Brackett said emotionally intelligent students tend to perform better academically as well.
“School is inherently an emotional experience,” he said. “When they’re taking a test, they can manage anxiety. Those skills can help a kid stay focused.”
Brackett said children are always watching their parents, so parents must strive to model emotional intelligence in a healthy way. This is especially important when reacting to unexpected challenges and difficulties in life.
“Parents have to realize they have to check in with their own feelings before they can help their child. Parents tend to overreact,” Brackett said.
He said making children feel they can safely express and process their emotions is key. The workshops will teach tools such as the “mood meter,” which provides children with the vocabulary to name their emotions more accurately.
Brackett’s workshops will feature skill-building activities, group discussions and reflections to help parents learn how to manage their own emotions — and help their children do the same — and show teachers how to incorporate the skills of emotional intelligence into their curriculum.
“For me, emotional intelligence is a lifelong process,” Brackett said. “Throughout life we all have challenges we need to manage effectively, and we all need skills to do it well.”
“Emotional Intelligence: Why It Matters” for parents will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, at the Fayetteville-Manlius High School auditorium. The workshop for educators will be held at noon and 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the OCM BOCES campus building Rodax 8, 6075 E. Molloy Road, Syracuse.
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To learn more about the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and the RULER approach, visit ei.yale.edu/ruler.
