Everyone talks about the importance of educating critical thinking and emotional management, but in practice, few teachers or coaches are truly trained, aware, and active in these areas. Here are some reflections on this gap.
In Schools - A 2021 meta-analysis examined 43 studies (~3,000 teachers from pre-K to 12th grade) on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs in schools. The goal: to improve teacher well-being, reduce stress, and prevent burnout. SEL interventions had a significant impact on: emotional self-regulation and coping strategies, reduction of professional stress and better classroom performance, personal well-being and teacher resilience.
- Insufficient training – Most teachers receive preparation focused on subject content, not on students’ social-emotional growth.
- Time pressure and tight curricula – With program requirements, standardized tests, and large class sizes, teachers struggle to carve out space for emotional education.
- Few practical tools – Even motivated teachers often lack concrete resources to integrate emotional and cognitive development into daily activities.
In Sports - A 2018 meta-analysis of 22 studies (3,431 competitive athletes) found a weak but significant correlation between emotional intelligence (EI) and sports performance. This is notable, since EI is known to be linked to stress management, effective use of psychological skills, and athletic performance.
- Result-oriented culture – Too many coaches, even at youth level, are still focused on performance rather than personal development.
- Outdated models – An authoritarian approach is still passed down, where emotions and reflection are seen as weakness or distraction.
- Exceptions exist – There are coaches (especially in more advanced youth sectors) who use sport as a way to teach self-control, awareness, and cooperation.
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