The latest edition of the International Journal of Emotional Education contains a number of qualitative studies on various aspects of social and emotional education, such as teacher education, resilience and wellbeing, bullying and trauma-based education.
Ms Loredana Muscat and Ms Rachel Spiteri from the Centre for Resilience and Socio-Emotional Health at the University of Malta assisted with the copyediting of this edition of the International Journal of Emotional Education (IJEE), while Prof. Carmel Cefai and Prof. Paul Cooper oversaw the editing process.
In the first paper in this edition, Akamatsu and Gherghel (Japan) contribute to this debate between the ‘bright’ and ‘dark’ side of social and emotional education, positioning empathy as a buffer against the ‘dark side’ of social and emotional education. They argue how the positive impacts of social support, prosocial behaviour, and subjective wellness may be undermined by manipulative or controlling motives unless empathy is given a key role in the delivery of social and emotional education.
Farnsworth (USA), presents a study on the use of narrative inquiry as a tool to examine how preservice teachers construe and develop their resilience, leading to an enhanced sense of wellbeing. In a study with school bullying bystanders, Emmanuel and du Plisses de-Beer (South Africa) investigated how self-debasing cognitive distortions influence the emotional wellbeing of bystanders, with suggestions on how bystanders may be supported to challenge and reappraise these negative thoughts and feelings. Ferriera and colleagues (Portugal) examined preschool teachers’ representations and practices of social and emotional education in their classroom, with implications for preservice teacher education as well as continuing professional development. Stipp and Kilparick (USA) examined school teachers’ perceptions of the impact of secondary trauma on their mental health and wellbeing and their perceived benefits of a trauma informed programme which was implemented in their school.
In the final paper in this issue, Azad et al (Iran) presents a study of 1209 teachers of English as a Foreign Language, investigating how teachers’ interpersonal behaviours impacts learners’ motivation. They report that teachers’ managerial behaviours of leadership and strictness significantly enhanced learners’ controlled motivation, while their autonomy-supportive behaviours of helpfulness and understanding positively influenced learners’ autonomous motivation.
Please access the journal online.
