Mrs. Ruby’s Life Lessons for Kids

12 Essential Skills To Increase Emotional Quotient – Emotional Quotient (E. Q.) is a complex, multifaceted entity that consists of a number of skills that can be learned. This is different from I.Q. which is generally measured by standardized intelligence tests and results in a fixed number. E.Q., with instruction, can be raised.

Mrs. Ruby’s Life Lessons For Kids addresses this issue by presenting children with twelve essential skills that will help increase their E. Q. The foundations for the lessons in the book focus on the five categories of emotional literacy: recognizing feeling states in oneself, recognizing feeling states in others, managing one’s own feelings, responding appropriately to the feelings of others, and motivating oneself. Each lesson focuses on a single topic which is presented through the eyes of an elementary school teacher, Mrs. Ruby. She examples the lesson through a story which is read to the students. Each story is followed by discussion questions and activities which can be used as follow up to further personalize the topic of the lesson. This book is an essential for any educator, youth leader, or parent who wants children to know twelve important things needed to get along at school and in life.

RESEARCH-BASED

The author, Joan Zientak, was a marital and family therapist in private practice in Illinois. Her research for this program is based on research by Peter Salovey, Ph.D. which states that a child’s ability to handle frustration, manage impulses, and get along with others are far more accurate indicators of success in life than good grades and high test scores. Also cited is Daniel P. Goleman, Ph.D. who states that the skills which enhance a child’s E.Q. fall into five categories. In addition she relates the importance of teaching children to control feelings based on neuroimaging and other brain research techniques.