There are growing calls among Chinese parents for more development of their childrens' "Emotional quotient" or EQ. That's a label scientists have given to a person's ability to monitor and control their emotions and actions, as they cope with high pressure and demands. Our reporter Wu Lei has been to visit some schools in Jiangsu Province that now offer this help, as well as a training company in Nanjing.
A simple game to practice perseverance. This is a new Emotional Quotient training class. At the end of October, 40 primary schools and 20 junior high schools in Liuhe district of Nanjing started to teach this training program. They also introduced an exclusive set of text books. It’s the first time this has been done in Chinese schools. The children enjoy the program; and parents back the scheme.
“I don’t think high test scores guarantee a bright future. Life will be very hard for my daughter if she lacks good social skills.”
Many parents have already taken their children to training camps to improve their Emotional competence. With one or two classes a week, some children have learned the programs here for more than 3 years. Through various games and activities, they learn to express their feelings and control their actions. This has really made a difference to their lives.
“I used to cry loudly when I couldn’t find something I’d lost. But now if I lose something, I try to calm down and then tell the staff so we can make a careful search.” Student Peng Jianing said.
This is one of the biggest EQ training camps in China, and teachers here say there’s a growing public demand for the service.
“The number of trainees has risen sharply. In the past, very few families could afford the high costs. But now in Nanjing for example, we’ve got more than a thousand trainees this year.” Wang Haiyan, teaching advisor of Bi-To EQ Camp, said.
It costs more than 5,000 yuan for a year in this training camp, but many parents think it’s worth it. Parents are also trained to understand their children’s behavior, and these games, role play and practice are designed to help their children do the right thing if they meet difficulties. But experts say practice time in the training camp is far from enough.
“It’s very important to encourage children to practice what they’ve learned in their families and in school. Once teachers and trainers get the feedback, they can make adjustments and help children to turn this behavior into lifetime habits.” Sang Zhiqin, director of Mental Health Education & Research of Nanjing University, said.
Many parents have decided to invest more in improving their children’s emotional ability at an early age. But schools and parents have their role to play.
Reporter: "Emotional training course is still in its infancy in China. Although many schools have started experimental courses....are needed for the benefits to be achieved.”