Teachers—The Vital Resource: The Contribution of Emotional Intelligence to Teacher Efficacy and Well-Being

The study of emotional intelligence (EI) shows promise in predicting educational competencies and positive life outcomes. Considering the many demands placed on teachers and the link to occupational stress, burnout, and decreased job satisfaction, EI may be foundational to developing competencies that lead to improved psychological health and teaching success and, in turn, positive student outcomes. It is argued that core factors describing teacher efficacy can be subsumed under the competencies comprising EI. This overlap in skill sets suggests that EI training may also increase teachers’ efficacy in the classroom and decrease their stress and job dissatisfaction.