Emotional Education

Emotional Skills and Competences

Salovey and Mayer were the first to define emotional intelligence as a “subset of social intelligence, encompassing the ability to recognise and understand one’s own emotions and those of others, distinguish between them and use this awareness to guide thinking and behaviour”.

Being happy is…

Knowing how to deal with positive and negative situations with confidence and a positive mindset reflects a sense of well-being and emotional balance that is independent of current problems; it lies in how we choose to respond to what happens to us.

Being happy is not…

Being happy all the time, nor only being content when things go your way, nor not having any problems, nor always getting what you want.
Happiness depends on you, your attitude and the decisions you make.

Colegio San Cristóbal’s Emotional Education Project develops emotional intelligence through a structured programme that provides our students with the skills to recognise and manage their own emotions while understanding the feelings of others, enabling them to acquire the emotional competences needed to grow and develop emotionally across all areas of their lives.

Emotional Awareness
Socrates’ “know thyself” principle highlights a fundamental aspect of emotional intelligence: being aware of one’s own emotions; awareness of one's own feelings as they occur. A lack of ability in this area leaves us vulnerable to uncontrolled emotions.

Emotional Regulation
The ability to manage one’s emotions and express them appropriately stems from being aware of one’s own emotions. The ability to keep expressions of anger, frustration or irritability under control is the key to healthy interpersonal relationships.

Socio-Emotional Skills
Empathy is a crucial interpersonal skill, rooted in an awareness of one’s own emotions. Empathy is at the heart of altruism. Empathetic people are more attuned to the subtle cues that reveal the needs and desires of others. This makes them well-suited for a wide range professions that involve helping and assisting people (teachers, counsellors, psychologists, educational psychologists, doctors, lawyers and sales specialists, etc.)

Skills for life and well-being
The art of forging strong relationships with others largely depends on the ability to understand and manage other people’s emotions. Social competence and the abilities it encompasses form the foundation for leadership, likeability and effective interpersonal interactions. People who have mastered these social skills can engage with others in a kind and effective manner.

Self-esteem
An emotion tends to lead to an action. Which is why emotion and motivation are intrinsically linked. Channelling emotions and the resulting motivation towards achieving goals is the key to paying attention, self-motivation and engaging in creative activities. Emotional self-control entails delaying gratification and managing impulses, which is often present in achieving many goals. People who possess these skills tend to be more productive and effective in the activities they undertake.