Educator Knowledge: Early Childhood Educators’ Understanding of Emotional Intelligence

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Early childhood educators (ECEs) working with young children need to call upon their own emotional intelligence (EI) to provide a supportive and positive learning environment. Despite the importance of EI in shaping the effectiveness of early childhood educators’ pedagogy, many do not recognise its impact on their pedagogy and practice; nor are supports available to assist them to cultivate and sustain their EI competencies. This research aims to bridge the gap by examining educators' understanding of EI, its influence on their daily professional practice, and identifying their preferred tools, programs, or resources that could strengthen EI competencies within the early childhood sector. Data was collected through an online survey of 68 Australian ECEC educators: 15 males and 53 females, with a mean age of 36 years. A quantitative data set was analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation to examine the relationship between components of EI, revealing a positive correlation between the ability to identify, manage, and regulate one's own and others’ emotions, which impacts important professional skills such as conflict resolution, active listening, and effective communication. The qualitative data set was analysed using inductive thematic analysis, revealing educators' understanding of what EI means to them, the impact of EI on their professional practice, and their recommendations for targeted professional development. This research highlights the gap in educators’ ability to apply key emotional competencies in their professional practice. Findings point to professional development educators believe are most relevant in the ECEC context. In a period of significant workforce challenges, these insights offer crucial direction for educational managers, policy makers and preservice teachers. Building on this, designing and implementing a targeted EI training intervention, advancing both theoretical and practical applications for strengthening educator emotional capabilities and retention in the sector.