You may say this to yourself as a reader of this blog. You, the writer, have started writing about emotions in your communication material lately. You're not a psychologist, so why should I listen to you on the topic of emotions?
I really appreciate you asking. You are breaking the silence, so now we can move forward. There is a number of great reasons. But silence on your question does not speak, words do. So let me answer your great question.
The first reason to listen to me is that I have been simplifying difficult things for younger students for years. My favorite school age to teach is junior highers. At that level, you had better have the ability to simplify 500 level course work down to 100 level course work. Over the years, I have simplified a lot of things that were given to me in a complex package. Emotions and logic are just one more.
My favorite example (if you read my other posts) is changing a complex computer language laden method of TEAR into ARWAT with the simple language of any adult - 13 years old and up. Elsewhere, I simplify this laboratory curiosity and foreign field tool into a powerhouse for everyday language use. Check out some of my other posts, if you want to see how I do this.
The second reason is because I respect the higher levels of learning and only desire to take the high level learning and make it useful to the average Joe or Jill. I'm acting in the function of a collaborator with what is already written by psychologists. I am NOT expert enough to enter into the grand debate on emotions at the 500 level, but I am smart enough to discern the basics from experts on a 100 level. It pays to know who knows at the highest levels. By-passing their research is a cardinal mistake.
My favorite examples of highly recognized psychologists who deal directly with the emotions are: Daniel Goleman, Robert Plutchik, Richard S. Lazarus, and Paul Ekman. Goleman wrote the most ground breaking book as far as the public is concerned in his book, Emotional Intelligence. I just think we should take what these guys have learned and use it in the classroom, etc. and not only in the therapist's office.
The third reason is that I am a teacher. As a teacher, I feel the primary part of my job is to deal with a mind and therefore with the brain of my students. I have read up in the area of brain science and find Goldman's work to be particularly convincing that the emotions respond before the logic does in the human brain. My view is we need to catch up to the latest in brain science. The other part of brain science is that emotions were at one time associated with social health. That is why the emotions were primarily assigned to psychologists over teachers. That view is now daily being proven to be unfounded. It is not so much a part of the psyche, the soul, or social health as it is part of mental health and the entire nervous system. I find that to be also the lesson of the latest biological advances. So teachers need to deal with emotions before logic.
I have tons of examples to share here. But I am just going to say that in many instances when I as a coach, a teacher, or a minister first addressed the emotions and then the logic, the results were much better than any other options. Logic alone or logic first only works in certain cases, but not on a routine basis. My greatest moments as a coach, teacher, or minister included both together and in that order. My favorite example from the bible is "the fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom" in contrast to the fictional character Spock in Star Trek who says that "logic is the beginning of wisdom".
The fourth reason and not the least is that while I'm speaking about mental health, I think we have to remove a major stigma associated with this topic. The problem for psychology is their association with abnormal psychology more than normal psychology. There is a stigma that many people would not to go to a counselor to get help, because of their unfortunate associations. The other thing too is that it still is associated with having a social problem, assuming then that there is some breakdown in a person's family upbringing. These associations may be unfair, but they are not going away soon. I was told by a member of one of the minority groups that in those populations the stigma is far worse.
The advantage I have as a coach, a teacher or a minister is that the stigma is not there to the same degree. It is normal to need a coach, it is normal to need a teacher, and it is normal to need a minister's counsel at least now and then. Psychologists, again maybe unfairly, are associated with higher level problems and many people don't like the social stigma that goes with it. Suicidal people, for example, would much rather talk to a friend than to a therapist, though the friend may be totally unequipped for such a deep topic or a topic that deals with the emotions of the nervous system. They may be unable to really help, but at least it is considered within the norm.
Finally, I think associating emotions with the brain is the big breakthrough of psychology as a science, so I think professional teachers need to "buy back" this part of teaching. There was a fairly famous teacher of a fairly famous leader who did not agree with the negative views of emotion that were passed down to him. I am speaking here of Aristotle and Alexander the Great. Why can't teachers teach emotions as related to the mind and the logic of differing kinds that are associated with the mind and brain? I don't see any reason not except that they might feel they are outside their area of specialization. That has to change.
As a coach, I was always dealing with emotions. I grew up in a tradition in sports that took a more positive rather than negative view of emotions. I think the real issue is to re-establish the positive regard for emotions rather than a primarily negative one. This is not the first time in history that negative regard held a society back from its promise. Let's break open a new area of promise with teachers who want to tackle emotions and psychologists who agree their handling it alone is overwhelming their system of treatment and help.
So that is why I think I as a coach, a teacher, and a minister can say something about emotions without being a full-blown psychologist. I think it is central to all three and it has to be applied at a younger age level than when people are already in serious trouble. I hope this encourages especially teachers to take back their responsibility. Let's get this done. Our schools need great teachers again.
Sincerely,
Jon
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