ABSTRACT
How times have changed. Not long ago, information and practices to strengthen the emotional intelligence and resilience of young people barely existed. There is a growing expectation on every educator to build the best emotional health, early on, for every child in their care.
Today, there are greater numbers of children with more complex social, emotional and behavioural needs at younger ages than we've ever seen before. We never imagined that it would fall to us, teachers in classrooms, to continuously case manage and provide astute and timely emotional input. When a student signals they want to talk to us, they are validating the safety within the relationship we've built together. A conversation does not mean we must have the answers. More often, just being there for them, so that they can talk and we can listen, makes a world of difference.
This chapter presents an array of practical conversations and continuing activities that enable young people to build emotional intelligence and resilient thinking. It showcases our greatest human assets; our emotions, and how to use relationship, empathy and self-regulation to raise the well-being of ourselves, and others. The challenge, however, is much more than presenting a few activities, tips or tricks to students. The development of these emotional assets is best promoted when we purposely maintain a social and emotional ‘sweet spot’ where these potentials are continuously encouraged to shine!
