Emotional Intelligence (EI) is becoming increasingly relevant to schools in the holistic development of their students. This is because the principles of (EI) provide a new way to understand and assess students: behaviours, attitudes, interpersonal skills (empathy) and potential.
(EI) links strongly with the concepts of effective leadership, bringing compassion and humanity to the school culture and also to ‘Multiple Intelligence’ theory, which illustrates and measures the range of capabilities students possess, and the fact that everybody has a value.
Along with other researchers, Sports Challenge argues that conventional intelligence (IQ) is too narrow and there are wider areas of (EI) that dictate and enable how successful we are. Success requires more than (IQ), as (IQ) ignores behavioural and character elements.
How often do we meet students and people who are academically brilliant and yet socially and inter-personally inept? We know from experience that despite possessing a high IQ rating, success does not automatically follow.
To this end, Sports Challenge Australia has established:
- A ‘world first’ measure of (EI) and
- An Experiential Mentoring Program to address the skills needed for good (EI).
OBJECTIVE MEASURE OF (EI)
Using a pencil and paper questionnaire (with high reliability), students can be measured for their:
- Overall (EI) score
- Sub scores for empathy, social relationships and self-esteem
- Gender differences
- Age difference
- Hierarchically generated scores by whole school year levels and by class.
All scores and reports are electronically generated and are available in an electronic and hard copy format.
EXPERIENTIAL PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE POSITIVE (EI)
The Sports Challenge Australia (EI) programs are based upon the successful results from previous projects which encompass effective awareness, control and management of one’s own emotions and those of other people. The two aspects underlying our programs are:
- Understanding yourself, your goals, intentions, responses and behaviour.
- Understanding others and their feelings
All Sports Challenge programs are age specific combining indoor and outdoor activities, which promote personal and collegiate growth. Programs are highly motivational using trained mentors with a small group format to encourage and empower students to reach their full potential in Emotional Intelligence (EI).