1. Teachers’ Emotional Intelligence (EI) Training for Enhancing Academic Performance
Principals, teachers, and management teams in schools experience various challenges related to emotions and interpersonal relationships that influence learning while educating students. Some have frequent emotional outbursts, and it is critical to learn psychological strategies to manage emotions in the classroom. After investigating several literature studies realized the need to help teachers and students to control emotions and designed the theme of Emotional Intelligence (EI) Training with the aim to achieve academic success in classrooms. Teachers need to recognize, comprehend, identify, articulate, and adjust emotions with healthy open communication as necessary components in a learning environment that generates a sense of student safety and value (Caruso & Salovey, 2004) . Educators should be mindful of the reality that they need to strengthen relationships in the school. Teachers need the implementation of EI training programs in emotional skills which will enable analysis of the impact of instruction, as a preliminary step to improve their teaching practice and social skills (García-Martínez et al., 2021) .
2. Research Method
2.1. Problem
The problem was addressed in this study concerning the lack of emotional intelligence skills in teachers. Research indicated that due to emotional intelligence (EI) deficiencies, students underachieve and fail to succeed academically (Emam, 2018) . Few studies exist that study teachers’ social and emotional competencies in their job performance and explore such development with educators (Sánchez-Núñez et al., 2015) . Most principals feel that the workload has become too complicated and are under tremendous pressure (Fullan, 2018) .
2.2. Purpose
The objective of a qualitative narrative inquiry study was to explore the impact of teachers’ social and emotional intelligence (EI), with formal EI training. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry study was to explore the consequences of EI training on teachers with narrative feedback. School leaders recommended developing emotional intelligence of school leaders by enhancing leaders’ emotional insight (Blaik Hourani et al., 2020) . There is a lack of research on how teachers’ emotional intelligence influences conflict management in the classroom (Valente & Lourenco, 2020) . Emotional Intelligence is not gender biased and it is an integral key to resolving conflicts contributing to a successful personal and working life (Papoutsi et al., 2022) .
The purpose of an interpretive approach in the qualitative narrative study was to investigate the teachers’ classroom experiences with EI training, and how EI training might impact their teaching. After EI training, could obtain the teachers’ perceptions with factual, reflective data from real-life situations to gain insight into individuals’ perspectives of social and emotional issues in the classroom.
3. Background Information in Research
Educators need to develop the ability to continually persuade, encourage, and manage emotional responses of colleagues as crucial for effective leadership. There is a lack of high-quality professional development for teachers and school leaders to simultaneously develop their own emotional skills and become proficient at helping students develop and manage emotions (Rivers & Brackett, 2020) . Coleman (1998) described the concept of emotional intelligence as five inter-related skills: self-motivation, self-regulation, self-awareness, relationship management, and social awareness. Emotional intelligence is the foundation for personal qualities such as self-confidence, personal integrity, knowledge of personal strengths and weaknesses, while promoting resilience amidst challenging situations with perseverance (Cherniss & Adler, 2000) .
3.1. Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence competency is an ability to recognize, understand, and use emotional information about oneself. Social intelligence competency is the ability to utilize emotional information about others that leads to or causes effective or superior performance (Boyatzis, 2009) . Relationship management is the most important element of practically applying emotional intelligence competencies in the classroom (Ahad et al., 2021) . Leaders often lack practical leadership skills and, therefore, need interventions to develop emotional and social competencies (Dippenaar & Schaap, 2017) .
3.2. Educational Leaders
Teachers are obliged to understand fundamental emotional components and social aspects as this is crucial for effective communication with the ability to manage emotions to lead effectively. Teachers need knowledge of emotional intelligence skills to learn coping strategies and classroom management competencies (García-Martínez et al., 2021) .
Educational leaders ought to hold power and authority accountable, develop skills and knowledge, and challenge assumptions (Giroux, 2020) . Educators require professional development for sufficient understanding regarding emotional intelligence competencies. Adequate knowledge of emotional intelligence provides a good indicator of a teacher’s behavior in performing the necessary tasks (Ahad et al., 2021) . Teachers who score high in EI manage to succeed, apply rational thoughts while overcoming daily challenges, and can heed multiple demands during the teaching and learning process. Leaders with high EI scores are better at facilitating teamwork while recognizing and managing emotions with knowledgeable insight (Paik et al., 2019) . Emotional intelligence is associated with higher levels of leadership effectiveness, and by prioritizing EI training, leaders can focus on developing self-awareness and emotion regulation (Sadri, 2011) .
3.3. Transformational Leadership
Transformational leadership is a solution to many leadership problems and often creates valuable positive changes in followers (Apore & Asamoah, 2019) . A transformational teacher can unite all students and change beliefs, attitudes, and personal goals of all the students to achieve imperative goals (Bastari et al., 2020) . Effective teaching affects the emotions and productivity of the student’s performance during the teaching-learning process as integral of the students’ academic success (Sekreter, 2019) . Emotional intelligence is a crucial component of an educator for the effectiveness of the teaching and learning process (Ismail et al., 2020) . An effective teacher needs an understanding of students’ emotions and causes of their behavior to create an ideal learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement, and strong motivation to learn (Sekreter, 2019) .
3.4. Teachers’ Behavior
The emotional impact of teachers’ behavior is critical to motivate and inspire students, allowing a positive atmosphere that strengthens confidence. Teachers, as role models, need to develop emotional responses, behavioral conduct, and self-regulatory competencies in students while having a supportive structure to prevent burn-out and mental breakdown fatigue. An analysis of the effect of emotion regulation showed that skills in interpersonal emotion regulation are a strong predictor of interpersonal competence (Malkoç et al., 2019) .
4. Performance
The anticipated goal of the research was to discover how emotional intelligence affected performance using preventative measures to ensure success. Students with higher EI tend to gain better academic grades (MacCann et al., 2020) . Research in leadership conveyed that the relationship between teachers and followers requires positive work environments with social interactivities to strengthen the learning process. There is a positive impact on EI and knowledge sharing behavior between teachers and colleagues (Tamta & Rao, 2017) .
People who show positive social relationships with family and friends and manage to socially adapt demonstrate higher emotional intelligence (Ulutaş et al., 2021) . Teachers need self-confidence and self-regulatory skills, being socially aware with flexibility and knowledge of social management skills while accentuating EI training as essential. Supporting emotional intelligence in the early years contributes to the development of basic competencies such as recognizing, understanding, and managing emotional responses (Ulutaş et al., 2021) . Educational leaders need to manage emotions by handling pressure and challenges not only personally, but by teaching self-regulatory skills while developing a positive learning climate. Teachers require EI training specifically aimed to ease the demands in teaching while preventing anxiety (García-Martínez et al., 2021) .
People with higher emotional intelligence manage reactions better and demonstrate less aggression with more positive moods resulting in enhanced academic success (Ulutaş et al., 2021) . Emotion has a particularly strong influence on attention and concentration, as well as a motivational force instigating behavior (Tyng et al., 2017) . Teachers need to have discernment of how EI functions and how to apply these principles in the classroom to create a tranquil environment with harmonious relationships. Teachers who increase self-awareness with empathy to identify EI with social problem-solving skills need to manage conflict by changing behavioral skills with positive reinforcement. Emotional intelligence training deals with deviant behavior through self-awareness and self-motivation, to regulate emotional and social skills, and convert negative emotional attitudes into positive energy (Iqbal et al., 2022) .
5. Research Methods
The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry study was to address the identified research gaps namely training teachers to understand emotional intelligence (EI) competencies and to find solutions while increasing confidence in educational leaders. It is crucial to promote Emotional Intelligence (EI) training of managers and leaders in the educational field. Emotional intelligence can be developed in teachers and EI training could positively influence behavior with transformational changes that could impact teachers’ practice. Emotional intelligence is a key factor in raising the academic standards of students (Iqbal et al., 2022) .
In this study, a small sample of eight teachers were recruited in a private secondary school using a purposeful sampling method. Data regarding teachers’ emotional and social competencies were collected through open-ended questionnaires and individual interviews. A qualitative narrative inquiry method was used to get honest perspectives of teachers’ experiences in the classroom as the purposefully chosen participants. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry study was to understand how teachers describe the use of the four elements of EI: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management after EI training (Figure 1).
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Figure 1. Leaders’ Emotional intelligence training.
Emotional Intelligence Training
Firstly, self-awareness is the individual’s ability to have knowledge of personal emotional skills, increased confidence, and the ability to manage emotions. Self-awareness of irregular or dysfunctional elements of emotional responses or behavioral problems could enlighten teachers to address the issues in the classroom. By reducing negative responses and eliminating emotional distractions, students could focus on the content taught by teachers and enhance their emotional capabilities to remember the facts. Recalling facts taught in peaceful classrooms cause higher grades in tests and improve exam performance. A high level of stress in the classroom diminishes a person’s memory, empathy, and social attention (Muhonen et al., 2022) . In undisturbed classrooms teachers could encourage, motivate, and inspire students to excel academically and as a result gain confidence. Secondly, social awareness refers to the ability to identify, perceive and acknowledge the emotions of others with empathy and compassion. Social management skills could involve being able to adjust to the circumstances, being flexible during transformational changes and able to resolve conflicts by managing emotional intelligence proficiencies. Experienced teachers with expertise have been found to show greater professional vision and the ability to process classroom information in comparison to novice teachers (Muhonen et al., 2022) . Emotional intelligence coaching in the workplace incorporates the following dimensions of emotional intelligence: emotional understanding, self-perception, enhanced decision making, self-expression and stress management with tolerance and optimism (Gilar-Corbi et al., 2019) .
In the narrative inquiry study the development of teachers’ social and emotional intelligence was explored after EI training. Educators of diverse nationalities described factors related to emotions contributing to emotional responses or reactions in classrooms or organizational structures in a descriptive narrative inquiry study. Open-ended questionnaires garnered educators’ perspectives. Educators received EI training in a two-month emotional intelligence (EI) coaching program. Goleman (2017) emphasized that coaching is the most effective method for identifying the areas of strength and weaknesses in emotional intelligence competencies. Educators’ perspectives captured through in-depth semi structured transcribed interviews after emotional intelligence training. During the analysis of the data, applied thematic coding, using Atlas Ti9 during the deductive coding procedure. Researchers build detailed descriptions, develop themes or dimensions, and provide an interpretation considering their own views or views of perspectives in the literature (Creswell, 2014) . Certain themes developed to answer the research questions attempting to find the reasons and solutions based on the results.
6. Results
Certain themes developed to answer the following research question: How do teachers describe what they have learned regarding emotional intelligence competencies after EI training? The narrative analysis of the transcripts revealed three major themes that emerged from the data: The following three themes corresponded to answer the first research question: The teachers gained a better understanding of students, EI training improved relationships and coaching enhanced academic performance.
7. Suggested Improvements
Teachers could identify different emotions and became firstly self-aware of hurtful or negative words that harmed in the initial session. Educators could get healed from negative events in the past which caused anger or resentment and could replace it with forgiveness to overcome bitterness with kindness towards those who harmed or despitefully used others. Secondly, self-management is essential to apply self-regulation skills improving attitude, behavior, and performance in the classroom.
Thirdly, replacing negative thought patterns with a positive mindset and vocabulary words of encouragement towards others demonstrated during the course. Most teachers gained self-confidence with colleagues’ support and daily encouragement. Teachers learned new strategies to demonstrate and teach emotional regulation to the students when under pressure rather than reacting or overreacting towards others.
7.1. Emotional Intelligence Training Improved Relationships
Most teachers who received EI training gained better understanding, experienced personal transformation and students’ behavior changed positively. Social and emotional learning with EI training is a process through which children learn to manage their own emotions, set, and maintain progress towards achieving goals and maintain healthy relationships with others (Tunc et al., 2022) . The teachers’ ability to self-regulate emotions positively influences students’ behavior. Participant 2 affirmed that EI competencies helped to resolve differences:
If there are conflicts in the classroom, then self-awareness and self-management will help to deal with them. Because I need to be aware if there is something that bothers me in the classroom, and to show it but to communicate it in a reasonable and calm way. So, self-awareness helps me to face the problem and self-management to control my responses. Then this leads to the social management of the students. There needs to be mutual respect and students will follow the teacher’s emotional lead, learning to manage themselves. Teachers’ persistent efforts to listen attentively, observe nonverbal cues, and demonstrate kindness could motivate students. In addition, teachers could apply self-management skills to control the urge to respond in anger or annoyance, with continual efforts to strengthen the weaker ones in the classroom. As a result, students could gain momentum to overcome challenges and change negative thought patterns with positive inspirations.
Teachers became self-aware of negative or resentful thought patterns with self-reflection while journaling during the training sessions. Conscious efforts of teachers to communicate in pleasant and compassionate ways will affect emotional responses. Replacing shouting and aggression with gentle and kind ways could set the tone and ambience of the classroom and promote mental health. Sympathetic teachers need to make sure rejected students are accepted by class friends with inclusive activities and relentless efforts to enhance interpersonal communication. For example, Participant 1 used dissonant communication methods and shouted at the students, and when he altered his behavior, talking gently, the atmosphere changed:
Before EI training, I used to shout at them and then I changed. I started to manage my own reactions and after training started to calm down and manage my own behavior. I realized my own negative actions and stopped teasing them and started giving them more respect and now they feel respected. EI training caused the students to show respect in return and they started sharing their feelings, passions, their dreams, and most of all their secrets with me.
Emotional intelligence training enhanced critical reasoning, reduced negativity with reflective thinking while promoting autonomy for lifelong learning (Gilar-Corbi et al., 2019) . Secondly, the educators applied self-management to regulate behavior, responses and focused on task completion. It is essential to master emotions during the learning process of teaching based on the social process of communication (Gilar-Corbi et al., 2019) . Thirdly, positive attributes in colleagues were accentuated complementing social-management skills and interactive pairs felt motivated, encouraged, and strengthened to persevere.
Teachers started articulating opinions concerning aspirational dreams with a greater level of enthusiasm. The development and pursual of personal goals are also highly influenced by self-awareness, confidence in abilities, and the protection of these important self-conceptions (Harris et al., 2022) . Relationships were restored in the family and with friends while overcoming perceived barriers to succeed academically.
7.2. Coaching Enhanced Academic Performance
Teachers promote a greater sense of understanding regarding the complexities of managing emotions, facilitating instruction, and ensuring stability while teaching. Learning with insight requires further understanding by reorganizing and integrating new information with previous knowledge to formulate concepts and create a meaning scheme to clarify ideas. Emotions spurred subconsciously and consciously affect actions. Continual messages of admiration and encouragement are the driving forces for students to make conscious efforts to succeed. When students experience love and acceptance, they enjoy learning that specific subject and subconsciously bond with kind and compassionate teachers. Participant 2 confirmed that training, changed mindsets:
After EI training, when interacting with students, I tried to consciously remember that they should be complimented and encouraged when they’re doing the right thing, such as if they’re socially well-adapted, or in their work, if they are doing well. And it’s a good thing for me to tell them and to recognize their strengths.
Teachers should aim in keeping communication open, being calm without resorting to shouting, sarcasm or loss of control and earn the respect of the students. Crucial to develop strategies that enhance interpersonal relationships and reduce conflicts at schools, to reduce teachers’ burnout, (Pavlidou et al., 2022) . Emotional intelligence training promoting self-regulation skills with continual efforts to constrain aggressive behavior are essential. Coaching how to respond in calm and sympathetic ways could cultivate inner transformation and social management towards others.
7.3. Negative Influences Minimized
After EI training teachers identified negative influences and understood why students found regulating emotions challenging. Teachers and professionals should monitor social media usage to observe behavioral impact (Ali et al., 2021) . Teachers found students’ behavior challenging despite multiple attempts to convey information while teaching. Some students lacked self-management, and some were unable to show appropriate social behavior toward adults and friends. Self-management is crucial for everyone to develop as it helps contribute to a better work atmosphere as well as self-productivity (Tunc et al., 2022) .
7.4. Raised Self-Confidence
When teachers have self-confidence then they can handle aggression, reduce conflict, and could empower students psychologically and build interpersonal relationships. Teachers’ moods and actions have a decisive impact on others and enthusiasm inspires whereas negativity dampens motivation (Drigas & Papouts, 2019) . Teachers started journaling experiences during EI training and tried to show continual positive responses towards all students and focused specifically on the rejected and those seeking attention with disturbing behavior. Teachers were urged to focus on adolescents’ self-perception as a prioritized task during the adolescence years in combination with managing social behavior towards others. Self-concept conceptualizes thoughts and feelings of experiences in the classroom affecting learning tasks, academic achievement, and mental health (Kaihoi, 2022) .
Allowing all the students to speak in class or privately about emotional issues or failures which prevented progress worked wonders. Some teachers allowed only a few minutes per day, finding available time for open discussions, or told students to share privately and during those times bonding occurred. Social emotional skills are defined as a set of cognitive abilities, emotion-based knowledge and behavioral competencies that facilitate adaptively prosocial actions such as emotion regulation, sympathetic and empathetic responses (Harris et al., 2022) .
Coaching teachers to understand emotional intelligence is considered a possible solution for any organization to function optimally. Emotional developmental programs with EI training need to be implemented in schools, universities and working environments (Papoutsi et al., 2022) .
7.5. Transformation Occurred
After EI training most teachers testified of not only of inner transformation but also experienced a transformed positive mindset. Emotions can facilitate cognitive processes and enable rational decision making (Maxwell & Peplak, 2022) . Teachers’ perception changed during EI training causing equality towards all genders and cultures crucial to ensure harmonious relationships. Participant 4 felt that transformed teachers could also influence students:
Emotional Intelligence training will change teachers’ behavior and affect working and dealing with others in the school and classroom when they see that the teacher changed and became confident. When the students see that she has applied powerful application of emotional intelligence in teaching practice. Then this will encourage them to improve their lives. We will encourage the students to follow in her footsteps. Getting all the attention channeled as they instruct others how to manage anger, regulate time at home, and learn efficiently could transform others. Educators’ roles are to enable students to realize their potential, with freedom of expression, using full autonomy to make responsible efficient choices and promote critical engagement with others socially.
Strategic goals and actions need to be taken to remove barriers and to change sociocultural patterns of gender behavior to eliminate prejudices and habits based on the idea of gender inferiority or superiority (Papoutsi et al., 2022) . During EI training need to cultivate and enhance all the emotional skills that women and men need (Papoutsi et al., 2022) .
7.6. Classroom Performance Improved
According to the teachers’ reflective responses most female students showed better behavioral conduct and higher academic performance in comparison to the male students in this research during their adolescent years. Similar findings occurred in the research where the females scored higher in all dimensions of EI compared to males (García-Martínez et al., 2021) . Teachers need to apply self-regulatory skills in the classroom while changing attitudes, causing improved grades.
After EI coaching the teachers managed to overcome and reduce negative thought patterns. Emotions are influenced by cognitive perceptions of opportunities, decisions, culture, and self-conceptions which can facilitate or inhibit reflective thinking, including emotional and intellectual growth (Harris et al., 2022) .
After EI training, most teachers identified emotional attributes that enriched personal lives as they gained renewed momentum. Teachers could refocus on students who were desperately seeking attention or those who could not follow instructions. Findings of the research emphasize the importance of self-regulation and the supportive role of teachers to establish an emotionally stable classroom with positive social relationships.
Participant 7 urged authorities to provide EI training with the aim of establishing professional development:
We as teachers need more EI training and more workshops. With your help, we can all change. I wish we could study emotional intelligence and analyze it. I think that EI training is necessary for teachers to get to the core of managing emotions.
If Emotional intelligence training was added into the curriculum, then it would be much more convenient with allocated set time in the daily schedule. Educators need to promote the support and development of emotional intelligence training (Maxwell & Peplak, 2022) . Students gained confidence in their own social abilities with emotional healing when past hurts were resolved. Relationships between family members, peers and authorities restored resulting in renewed self-awareness with hope for the future.
The importance of building a positive and secure attachment in childhood appears crucial for a positive image of the self and others in adulthood, in turn influencing the way in which we perceive both the offline and the online world (López et al., 2022) .
8. Conclusion
Findings of the research study depicted the importance of emotional intelligence training for educators, school leaders, and parents to create a peaceful school environment where students are accountable for regulating emotional responses and responsible for behavior management in the classroom. Behavior modification is suggested as a treatment method for hyperactive children to increase attention levels (Doulou & Drigas, 2022) . The main problem and characteristic of hyperactivity disorder is inattention with impulsivity and to control these symptoms emotional intelligence training is necessary (Doulou & Drigas, 2022) . However, after EI training, Participant 1 started listening attentively to essential issues close to their hearts and assisted in conflict resolutions:
The way I speak to the students is now interactively and now I listen to them. Now I make time to know everything about my students and about their families and their feelings. Now we know each other very well. The students got renewed confidence. I make time for them and now a special bonding between me and my students took place. Now that the students shared with me their feelings, they have full confidence in me. As a teacher I changed and as a result the students also changed. Now I have full confidence to teach them.
Teachers who practice reflective techniques using self-evaluation and inventive ways to develop emotional understanding while restoring interpersonal relationships could improve productivity. Training teachers how to control thoughts, change attitudes, and apply self-management is essential, especially in the classroom.
Finally, emotional intelligence training caused transformation of teachers and as a result students’ lives. Most teachers felt inspired after EI training with renewed motivation to overcome challenges with positive approaches, dedication, and setting strategic goals to impart emotional intelligence competencies. The use of positive reinforcement has been proved to be impactful in improving the hyperactive student’s attention span during an activity (Doulou & Drigas, 2022) . Research results provided evidence that EI can be developed in measurable and statistically significant ways (Tschannen-Moran & Carter, 2016) . Committed educators can help young people to be self-confident, develop skills in maintaining positive relationships and deal with life’s challenges effectively (Maxwell & Peplak, 2022) . Regulating emotions is a detrimental factor that can prevent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in classrooms (Weiss et al., 2018) . Emotional intelligence is linked to higher academic performance, increased self-image, and greater confidence irrespective of circumstances (MacCann et al., 2020) . According to Kawamoto (2020) , people with positive self-esteem and self-awareness indicated lower anxiety levels.
Responsible students ease the workload and reduce teachers’ burnout when classrooms are peaceful, and all the work completed as required with social and emotional support. Teachers who train children emotional intelligence contingencies manage their emotions better, resort to less aggression, have more positive general moods, are more successful academically, move away from negative habits, establish positive social relationships with their family, peers, and social circles, and show social adaptation (Ulutaş et al., 2021) . Significant improvement of students’ behavior demonstrated a positive impact after EI training.
9. Prospects for Further Research
Teachers have indicated that many students in the classrooms lack self-regulation and self-control which hamper their success. Changing negative attitudes to positive thought patterns is necessary while applying self-management skills which could allow teachers to self-regulate behavior and enhance academic performance. Self-management is crucial in producing high quality work performance with a positive attitude (Ahad et al., 2021) . Knowledge of emotional intelligence contingencies plays a pivotal role in the behavior, attitude, and performance of teachers, and as a result the students in the classrooms.
As suggestion for future research could be to investigate the reasons for male students underperforming academically in the Arab countries. In general, there is a lack of studies on behavioral disorders among youngsters in Arab/Islamic countries (Al-Sharbati et al., 2016) . Future studies could focus on the best collaborative practices for parents and teachers using EI coaching. Training teachers how to use emotional intelligence is a key factor in the academic life of students (Iqbal et al., 2022) . In the future, researchers could include information related to emotional intelligence into the curriculum and textbooks to convey knowledge of correct emotional understanding. Social–emotional skills must be developed to achieve academic success (Ulutaş et al., 2021) . Results confirmed that teachers struggle with circumstances in the domain of social and emotional issues and teachers need to include emotional intelligence competencies in the curriculum (Hadar et al., 2020) . Teaching others how to respond while under pressure or during a crisis, aiming to create peaceful classrooms of utmost importance for academic success.