The first of the Erasmus+ project “FLOW: fun, learning, opportunities, well-being” (project KA2020-1-ES01-KA204-083267) seminars is about developing emotional intellingence. The project Flow focuses on helping adult learners in their learning process. FLOW is a concept that describes those moments when you are completely absorbed in a challenging but doable task.

Being a teacher or trainer is not only about lecturing facts to students or learners. By spending time with our students (either in person or online) we have a unique position to have a direct impact on different areas of their lives. This is especially relevant in cases where students/learners do not have good role models in their lives. It is important they have someone who connects with them and supports them also in the process of learning and developing emotional and social skills.

The high prevalence worldwide of stress among young people, the small rise in life satisfaction, and the synergy between learning and pleasant emotions all argue that teachers and trainers need to focus also on teaching the skills of emotional intelligence and ability to establish emotional balance. We need teachers and trainers who can strengthen learners’ ability and skills to perceive, recognize, understand, and manage emotions as well as their ability to connect with others in a supportive and meaningful way.

Integrating knowledge and skills of emotional intelligence and empathy into the learning process has the power to improve student motivation, engagement, and accomplishment by helping them to manage intense emotions, encourage and savor pleasant emotions and optimism, increase emotional resilience, build empathy and meaningful social relationships, and find greater meaning and satisfaction in learning process or learning environment.

METHODOLOGY

The training is designed as a set of 4 sessions and is going to be implemented online (via Zoom platform - the link will be sent in the week before the training) as an interactive process with emphasis on establishing open, two-way communication between trainers and participants as well as between participants themselves. Exchange of ideas and good practices is important for broadening our knowledge and finding different possibilities and activities for strengthening emotional intelligence of learners as well as teachers and trainers. The learning process will focus on experiential learning and workshop approach. It will include discussions, working in groups and pairs, presentations, individual exercises, and practical activities. The participants will also receive additional learning material after the training.