Empowering Educators: How Social-Emotional Management Can Transform Teaching

 Title: Social–Emotional Management to Promote Quality in Education: A Training Program for Teachers

Link: https://www.proquest.com/docview/2998846788/ECB7173567B5470DPQ/20

Author: María del Carmen Díez González; Marcos-Sánchez, Rafael; Zaragoza-Benzal, Alicia; Ferrández, Daniel

Article: Education Sciences; Basel Vol. 14, Iss. 3: 228

Year: 2024

Analyze and present by: Punnarat Chinnapha

Student ID: 244511003

 

Introduction

The role of emotions in education has long been underestimated, yet it is one of the most crucial aspects of effective teaching. The COVID-19 pandemic shed light on this issue, forcing educators to navigate an emotionally complex landscape marked by fear, stress, and uncertainty. Teachers were not only responsible for delivering academic content but also for managing their own emotional well-being and that of their students. This shift made social-emotional training an urgent priority in education.

A recent study by Díez González et al. (2024) explores the significance of social-emotional management in education and introduces the EmocionaTFamilia program – a structured training initiative designed to equip teachers with the tools to regulate their emotions, enhance resilience, and manage the fear and stress that arose in the wake of the pandemic. The study evaluates the effectiveness of this program in reducing COVID-19-related fear and improving teachers' social-emotional competencies, offering valuable insights for schools worldwide.

 

The Emotional Landscape of Teaching

Teaching has always been an emotionally demanding profession. Educators juggle multiple responsibilities—curriculum delivery, classroom management, student engagement—while also dealing with their own professional and personal challenges. The pandemic exacerbated these pressures, blurring the lines between work and home life. Many teachers found themselves overwhelmed with stress, fearing both the health risks of returning to in-person teaching and the long-term emotional impact on their students.

Research shows that teachers who lack emotional awareness and regulation skills are more prone to burnout, lower job satisfaction, and diminished effectiveness in the classroom. This reality underscores the necessity of programs like EmocionaTFamilia, which provide educators with structured training to identify, process, and manage emotions in a way that benefits both themselves and their students.

 

Fear in Education: The Lingering Impact of COVID-19

One of the most significant findings of the study was the prevalence of fear among teachers. The uncertainty surrounding the return to in-person education heightened anxiety levels, with many teachers expressing concerns about contagion risks, job insecurity, and emotional exhaustion. The study found that fear was not just an individual experience but a collective challenge within schools, making it essential to address through targeted interventions.

The EmocionaTFamilia program aimed to tackle this issue by helping teachers develop greater emotional clarity and self-regulation skills. To measure the program’s impact, researchers conducted pre-test and post-test evaluations using standardized psychological scales, assessing both social-emotional competencies and COVID-19 fear levels before and after the training.

 

Methodology and Validity of the Study

To ensure a scientific and comprehensive evaluation, the study utilized a pre-test and post-test design with a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative analyses.

Study Design and Participants

• Participants: 21 teachers from a school in Madrid, Colombia, aged 22 to 54 years with 1 to 20 years of teaching experience.
• Data Collection: Pre-test and post-test assessments were conducted before and after the training program to evaluate changes in emotional regulation and fear management.

Instruments Used for Data Collection

The researchers used two validated psychological scales to assess emotional competencies and fear levels:

1. TMMS-24 (Trait Meta-Mood Scale) – Measures three aspects of emotional intelligence:
• Emotional Attention (awareness of one's emotions).
• Emotional Clarity (understanding one's emotions).
• Emotional Repair (ability to regulate emotions).
• Reliability: Cronbach’s alpha values ranged from 0.81 to 0.84, ensuring strong internal validity.
2. COVID-19 Fear Scale – Assesses anxiety and stress levels related to the pandemic.
• Reliability: Cronbach’s alpha 0.82, confirming consistency and accuracy in measuring emotional distress.

Data Analysis Techniques

• SPSS v.25 – Used for statistical analysis, including paired samples t-tests and Wilcoxon tests to compare pre- and post-test scores.
• MAXQDA 2020 – Used for qualitative analysis, coding teachers' reflections to identify themes in their emotional experiences.

Ensuring Validity and Statistical Reliability

The study incorporated several validation techniques:

• Shapiro-Wilk Normality Test – Ensured that data met the necessary conditions for statistical analysis.
• Paired Samples t-Test – Used to determine whether the differences in pre- and post-test scores were statistically significant.
• Triangulation – Combined quantitative survey data with qualitative feedback to provide a comprehensive and credible analysis of the program's impact.

 

Results: How the Program Transformed Emotional Management

The results revealed significant improvements in teachers’ social-emotional skills and a substantial decrease in COVID-19 fear levels after participating in the EmocionaTFamilia program.

 

Factor	Pre-Test Mean	Post-Test Mean	Improvement
Emotional Attention	25.81	30.33	+4.52
Emotional Clarity	27.81	29.52	+1.71
Emotional Repair	30.29	30.95	+0.66
Total TMMS-24 Score	83.90	90.81	+6.91
Fear of COVID-19	24.00	14.95	-9.05

 

The greatest improvement was observed in emotional attention, indicating that teachers became more aware of their emotions and learned how to manage them effectively. The dramatic decrease in COVID-19 fear levels demonstrated the program’s success in helping teachers regain confidence and reduce anxiety related to pandemic uncertainties.

The Role of Gratitude in Emotional Regulation

A unique aspect of the EmocionaTFamilia program was its emphasis on gratitude as a tool for emotional regulation. Teachers participated in a “gratitude jar” exercise, in which they wrote daily reflections on moments of gratitude.

Many participants reported that this activity helped shift their focus from fear and anxiety to positive emotions. Psychological research supports this finding, as gratitude has been shown to enhance emotional resilience, improve stress management, and foster a more positive outlook on life.

 

Why Social-Emotional Training Should Be a Priority in Schools

The success of the EmocionaTFamilia program highlights the critical need for social-emotional training in teacher education. Schools often prioritize academic skills while neglecting the emotional well-being of educators, yet emotional intelligence is just as crucial for effective teaching and student engagement.

Educational institutions should integrate social-emotional development programs into professional training, ensuring that teachers receive continuous support in managing stress and building emotional resilience. Strategies such as peer support groups, mindfulness workshops, and emotional coaching could further reinforce teachers' ability to maintain emotional stability in the classroom.

 

Strengths and Limitations of the Study

The study’s mixed-methods approach is a major strength, as it combines quantitative surveys with qualitative insights, offering a well-rounded perspective on teacher emotional growth. Additionally, the validated psychological instruments (TMMS-24 and COVID-19 Fear Scale) ensure high reliability in measuring emotional competencies and fear reduction.

However, the study also has limitations. The sample size of 21 participants is relatively small, limiting the generalizability of the results. Furthermore, while the program showed short-term effectiveness, long-term studies are needed to determine whether these benefits persist over time.

Final Thoughts: A Call for Change

The study by Díez González et al. (2024) provides compelling evidence that social-emotional training is essential for educators. The data is clear: when teachers receive structured support to manage their emotions and fears, they are better equipped to create positive learning environments for their students.

If education is to truly prepare young minds for the future, we must first empower educators with the emotional tools they need to succeed. Schools and policymakers must recognize that investing in teacher well-being is an investment in the future of education itself. By prioritizing emotional intelligence alongside academic excellence, we can build a resilient, compassionate, and effective education system—one where both teachers and students thrive.