Written by, Kalpita
23rd Feb 2025
Research has consistently shown that emotionally intelligent children are usually more attentive at school and more participatory; thus they get better grades. Self-regulation of emotions and attention are thus extremely critical for academic achievement. Having spent 10 years in the classroom, with the responsibility of shaping tender minds as young as 3 and as old as 7 years of age, I have been fortunate to see many silent revolutions in my classrooms - not in the form of the digital tools or innovative teaching methods, but something far more powerful and life-changing.
Being an experienced early childhood educator and having had the privilege to teach in diverse cultural settings around the world, I have seen it first hand, how this often-overlooked skill-set can make or break young children’s academic journey. From the quiet triumphs of shy students finding their voice to the remarkable turnarounds of once-disruptive students, the impact of emotional intelligence (EI) has been nothing short of extraordinary. To me, EI isn’t just some buzzword, its more like a password to access young children’s best version of themselves!
Let me take you on a journey where the true magic of learning happens really – and that place is the heart.
The Secret Password to Academic Success
Let me tell you about Emma, a bubbly 5-year-old student of mine, whose hand used to shoot up faster than a rocket whenever I had asked a question. Her mom, Diana, noticed a remarkable change in her daughter's academic performance when they actively started working with an EI powered mindset at home.
"She's like a different kid in the class," Diana said with pride. "Her teacher (that’s me!) says she's more focused during lessons and is always eager to participate. And guess what? Her ‘grades’ went up too!" This wasn’t always the case though; Diana had used the secret password to access her daughter’s academic success and turned things around.
The Attention Superpower
Remember how you could hardly get your kids to sit still for five minutes? Now, imagine them laser-focused on a task for extended periods. That's the magic of EI in action.
Take 6-year-old Dylan, for instance. His dad, Terry, used to dread parent-teacher conferences due to constant complaints about how Dylan could never focus on anything. But after incorporating some EI powered mindset into their daily routine, Terry said he noticed a complete change.
"It's not that suddenly Dylan was a different kind of kid," he said. "He just learned to regulate his emotions better. Where before he would get frustrated and give up when he didn't understand something, now he takes a deep breath and tries again. His teacher (that’s me again!) was amazed at how long he could stay on a task." Secret password works!
Participation Game-Changer
I remember a shy 4-year-old Yuna, who would hide behind her mom’s legs at every social gathering. Fast track some months of working with an EI powered mindset, and we couldn’t recognise her in the classroom.
One parent-teacher meeting, Yuna’s mom, Sophie, could not get over her ears as the teacher (me again!) complimented her for active participation. She learnt that "Yuna was not only raising her hand to answer questions, but she was also helping other kids understand difficult concepts." She beamed, "Who knew this little wallflower would bloom into such a confident learner?" Well, I did! Her kindergarten teacher!
The Grade Booster
Now, grades: we all want our kids to do great, but often it feels like an uphill battle. Alright, well, here's some good news: EI just might be that tutor or study buddy your kid needs.
5-year-old Tahir’s parents were at their wit's end, looking for a way to help him improve his reading skills. No amount of sight word exposure or phonics practice seemed to stick, that is until they shifted their focus to actively working his EI.
"We started teaching Tahir to recognise when he was frustrated or feeling overwhelmed," his mom explained. "Once he could identify and talk about his feelings, we helped him learn simple, fun ways of calming down and refocusing. Suddenly, reading wasn't this emotionally overwhelming activity anymore. And you know what? His grades started improving almost immediately." Magic!?
Well, while these lovely bunch of parents made me feel like the “WOW Teacher” and thanked me repeatedly for empowering them with an EI powered mindset, all I did there was, sprinkled a little fairy dust called “reflection”. THEY are the ones who took that and turned it into pure gold! So, the next time you are helping your little ones’ pack their school bag, remember, the most valuable tool they could carry may just be their Emotional Intelligence. By teaching your young children how to manage their emotions and stay focused, you are not just grooming them for a wonderful day at school but also setting them up for lifelong academic excellence. And who knows? You might actually start looking forward to those parent-teacher conferences after all! I still do…
