Fostering emotional intelligence and soft skills in education is essential to creating respectful, collaborative, and emotionally aware learning environments. During this one-week training program, educators from different European countries took part in experiential workshops and reflective discussions aimed at improving their communication, emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills.

The course “Soft Skills and Emotional Intelligence for Teachers and Education Staff” took place in Palermo from 21/07/2025 – 25/07/2025. The participants came from various countries across Europe, including Isabel Maria Rumbo Solís and Laura Madejón Torres Anneloes Pilon from IES Javier García Téllez in Spain, Svetlana Bogdanova and Alexandra Mihaylova from NATIONAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC SOFIA in Bulagria, Guðbjörg Halla Magnadóttir from Grunnskólinn á Ísafirði in Iceland, Natalia Shmonina from Dublin South City Partnership in Ireland, Inês Pais and Carla Barbosa from Agrupamento Escolas D. Dinis – Leiria in Portugal, María Capilla Cerrato from Colegio Maria Auxiliadora Salesianos Mérida in Spain, and finally  Raquel Álvarez Álvarez from IES San Andrés in Spain.
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The week began with a deep dive into the concept of competence. The course was introduced to Participants as they discussed the differences between knowledge, skills, and attitudes, and reflected on why these distinctions matter in today’s classrooms. The session also covered the key 21st century skills needed by both teachers and students, followed by practical activities, encouraging participants to put empathy and attention into practice.
On Tuesday, the focus shifted to stress management and mindfulness, participants engaged in outdoor activities to learn and practice mild exercises that can help minimize stress. Activities like using DIX-IT cards to rationalize stress, different breathing methods and identifying objects using the five senses. Participants gained practical knowledge on managing their stress through simple, repeatable mindfulness and physical techniques that can be integrated and used daily.

Wednesday’s sessions revolved around how to rationalize the use of Emotional intelligence in classroom. Through the lens of Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence model, participants explored how to help students better recognize, name, and manage their emotions. A range of interactive activities helped bring theory into practice, giving teachers tools to promote emotional awareness in their own classrooms.

On Thursday, participants explored the concept of Conflict management and assertive communication, which is the Leadership Assertiveness and how to say no. Teachers examined how different perceptions and misunderstandings can spark conflict, and how to approach them constructively. Various conflict styles were introduced, alongside methods to manage difficult situations with confidence. The day ended with a session on assertive communication, where participants practiced techniques for expressing themselves clearly and respectfully.

Finally on Friday, it was all about building self-confidence through public speaking. The group learnt ways to motivate themselves and speak in public freely without difficulties. With practical exercises focused on delivery, clarity, and body language. Teachers also discussed the importance of giving and receiving feedback, especially in spoken presentations. At the end of the day, participants left the session with greater self-esteem and a clear understanding of how to engage an audience. They also became more open minded to feedback, recognizing it as a valuable tool for personal and professional growth.

Discover more about this course here.
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