Thirty years ago, as an undergraduate psychology major, I wrote a paper about emotional development.  People gradually mature emotionally as well as intellectually, I asserted, so we should devise a way to measure one's E.Q. (Emotional Quotient) just as we now measure the I.Q. (Intelligence Quotient).  I thought the idea of an E.Q. was very clever.  The professor agreed, but was not impressed with my literature review on the subject, so gave the paper a "C".

The idea continued to intrigue me.  About a year later I approached the subject from a slightly different angle.  Emotional maturation and the development of creativity are closely linked, I wrote, because people with high self esteem are more likely to take creative risks than people who are insecure.  Since creativity and ego strength are both measureable traits, it should be possible to quantify the degree of correlation between the two.  Again I introduced the idea of the E.Q. (Emotional Quotient), comparing it this time to the C.Q. (Creativity Quotient).  Extensive documentation and a suggested research model impressed the professor, who not only gave me an "A", but also asked me to present the ideas in class.  Following a lively discussion with fellow students, I returned to my studies, feeling happy and duly recognized. 

I went on to complete masters degrees in education and psychology and have been a  student of human development ever since, as a teacher, psychotherapist, school psychologist, and parent.  Frankly, it never again occurred to me to research my EQ - IQ - CQ hypotheses.

Then, a few weeks ago, while spending a lazy Sunday morning browsing through the newspapers, I came across two articles about a recent book entitled Emotional Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman, Ph.D.  Dr. Goleman poses and answers the following question:  "What factors are at play when people of high IQ flounder and those of modest IQ do surprisingly well?"  He asserts that, "the difference quite often lies in the abilities called here emotional intelligence, which include self-control, zeal and persistence, and the ability to motivate oneself.  These skills can be taught to children, giving them a better chance to use whatever intellectual potential the genetic lottery may have given them."

This groundbreaking book goes on to describe the neurological underpinnings of one's emotions and the gradual process people undergo to learn to modulate impulses, read the feelings of others, and handle relationships more smoothly.  Examples of deficiencies in emotional intelligence abound, such as broken marriages, aggression, poor health, criminal behavior, disastrous career choices, and teen pregnancy.

At the Nueva Learning Center in Hillsborough, California, students can focus on understanding their emotional lives in a course called "Self Science."  Goleman writes, "The subject is feelings - your own and those that erupt in relationships.  The topic, by its very nature, demands that teachers and students focus on the emotional fabric of a child’s life - a focus that is determinedly ignored in almost every other classroom in America."  Karen Stone McCown, the developer of the Self Science Curriculum states,  "learning doesn’t take place in isolation from kids' feelings.  Being emotionally literate is as important for learning as instruction in math and reading."

The implications of this book for schooling are far-reaching.  Current emphasis on reading, writing, and arithmetic is well placed; however, schools must also attend to the equally important skills children need to become socially and emotionally literate.  Through studying the arts, humanities, conflict resolution, and ethics, for example, children learn about aesthetics, motivation, compassion, and fairness.

To teach academics alone is to teach to half of a person’s potential.  A brilliant boor, for example, will most likely alienate others.  The intellect and the emotions are as inseparable as the two intertwined genetic strands which form the DNA helix.  One cannot thrive without the other.  School curricula must expand to reflect this fundamental truth.