Diving into soft skills and emotional intelligence

Soft skills are increasingly important in both professional and daily life. Emotional intelligence, empathy, teamwork, and conflict and stress management are crucial abilities both inside and outside the classroom. Through a blend of theoretical and practical activities, our participants learned how to enhance their communication skills.
 
The new edition of the course “Soft Skills and Emotional Intelligence for teachers and education staff​” took place in Tenerife from 14/07/2024 to 20/07/2024. The participants came from I.I.S.P.T.C. A. CASAGRANDE, Italy, in particular Paolo, Barbara, Michela, Luca, Daniela, Sarah, Rosanna, Stefania, Claudia, Rita, Marina, Emanuela, Federica, Perfilia, Francesca, Margherita, Chiara decided to join us in this fascinating learning adventure. 

The course began with a focus on Emotional Intelligence, which refers to the ability to recognize both our own feelings and others’ emotions, enhancing self-awareness and awareness of our surroundings. Another skill addressed in this session was empathy. Through various exercises, participants learned to practice empathy, self-control, self-motivation, and how to build connections.
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A great teacher is also an effective leader in the classroom, as they must inspire and guide their students towards achieving specific goals. Leadership manifests in various forms, but not all the forms are suitable for every situation. Therefore, participants were encouraged to consider the key traits of the leaders they admire and reflect on specific leadership styles.

Effective communication is a crucial skill for successful teamwork. Participants concentrated on various communication styles: aggressive, passive, passive-aggressive, and assertive. Demonstrating assertiveness can be challenging, discussions clarified that assertiveness involves expressing your needs clearly and effectively, rather than being impolite.
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To enhance their skills in communication, participants also engaged in a public speaking exercise. They learned strategies for presenting themselves, managing body language, and mastering nonverbal communication. To build confidence, participants prepared and delivered a brief one-minute speech in front of the class, applying the skills they had acquired. 

The final topic of the course covered conflict and stress management. Interacting with people can sometimes be challenging, and handling conflicts effectively is not always straightforward. By sharing their personal experiences, participants recognized that conflicts are common and that they don't always lead to negative outcomes. Instead, conflicts can present opportunities to grow and learn.
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During the week participants had the opportunity to engage with one another and learn from their shared experiences. Each participant brought a unique background that enriched the group as a whole. Additionally, networking opportunities were facilitated through planned cultural activities, demonstrating that learning extends beyond the confines of the classroom.

Discover more about this course here.