This past week in YESS we began our discussion on emotional intelligence (EQ) by talking about "nature vs. nurture" and the curious story of Phineas Gage, a man who lost a portion of his brain after a traumatic accident. Our scholars debated whether we are in fact a product of our environment or if we are born and destined to act and/or behave a certain way. Many were able to touch on the fact that it is a combination of the two factors that influence our behavior, though we agreed that the environment plays a crucial role in one's development.
We read the story of Phineas Gage to better understand the science behind our emotions, for Phineas Gage was a man of good character who was admired by all who knew him--that is, until he was injured on the job by an explosion which sent a 42 inch metal rod through the lower half of his skull. Surprisingly (or not so surprisingly to our scholars who now understand the brain!) Phineas was able to talk, breathe, and walk right after the accident. He not only survived but made a "full physical recovery." However, when it came to his mental and emotional well being, he was forever changed. As my scholars pointed out, only part of his brain was damaged, which is why he was able to do math, have a conversation, and continue working at his job on the railroad. What he could not do was relate to others in any capacity, for the portion of his brain that was damaged was the one responsible for regulating emotions.
Once we unpacked the story of Phineas Gage, our scholars began a research project on the four key skills necessary for dealing with our five core emotions (anger, happiness, sadness, disgust, and anxiety). The four key skills are: Self-Management, Relationship Management, Self-Awareness, and Social Awareness. Scholars worked in teams of 4-6 to figure out the definition of their key skill, why it is important for our EQ, and what we can do to strengthen that particular skill. The groups were then required to design a poster with all the relevant information for their skill which they will be presenting to our class this week.
Everyone did a wonderful job both working together and creating an informative poster, and I am proud that our scholars are taking this work so seriously. We have many mentors who are really looking forward to our lesson this week on "Hot Bottons." Stay tuned!
Once we unpacked the story of Phineas Gage, our scholars began a research project on the four key skills necessary for dealing with our five core emotions (anger, happiness, sadness, disgust, and anxiety). The four key skills are: Self-Management, Relationship Management, Self-Awareness, and Social Awareness. Scholars worked in teams of 4-6 to figure out the definition of their key skill, why it is important for our EQ, and what we can do to strengthen that particular skill. The groups were then required to design a poster with all the relevant information for their skill which they will be presenting to our class this week. 
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