Teachers’ Emotional Intelligence: Does Teaching Experience Matter?

Abstract

This article discusses the findings of a study which was conducted to identify the emotional intelligence among school teachers in Malaysia and the difference across teaching experience. The study adopted a survey research design in which questionnaire was used to collect data from the selected samples. The questionnaires were mailed to the selected schools. A total of 805 primary and secondary school teachers who are serving in schools under the administration of Malaysia Ministry of Education were involved as samples. Reaction to Teaching Situation was used as an instrument to measure teachers’ emotional intelligence. Reaction to Teaching Situations comprises four branches of emotional intelligence which are identifying emotions, using emotions, understanding emotions, and managing emotions. The result showed that generally teachers possess moderate level of emotional intelligence. The result revealed that there is no significant difference in the levels of emotional intelligence among teachers of 0 to 5 years, greater than 5 to 15 years and greater than 15 years teaching experience. The result also revealed that there is no significant difference in the levels of the emotional intelligence constructs among teachers across teaching experience. With moderate level of emotional intelligence of teachers found in this study and the previous, relevant programmes to improve teachers’ level of emotional intelligence need to be taken into consideration. It is hoped that this research will add the literature on emotional intelligence of teachers.