ABSTRACT
Successful relationships are based on trust, respect and communication. According to D. Moxon it is helpful to consider these on a continuum of closeness or 'emotional attachment', which can include friendship, love, platonic, family and professional relationships. Much of the work on emotional intelligence has been conducted in the US in the context of business and management, and so there is concern that this does not apply directly to the educational context. However, K. Weare suggests interest in 'affective education' is developing at an extraordinary pace in the teaching profession. The use of social cues, such as emoticons, or the addition of photos and other representations of ourselves, for example, can convey a range of emotions. The development of meaningful relationships with others begins with interactive behaviours between babies and adults. In their landmark studies of the 1960s, John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth introduced attachment theory, which has since been used to help explain early childhood relationships.
