The book "Encouraging the Emotional Competence of Students in School" is a layered presentation of modeling the educational process in a modern school. It was written as a presentation of basic concepts of the socio-emotional aspect in the approach of holistic thinking about the quality education of gifted and other students.
In the introduction to the book, the discourse of the modern school and communication is presented. This process reflects the psycho-social aspect of communication, where a successful interactive role of students and teachers is realized, in which the student is an actor of his own development. These are also basic concepts of the constructivist approach in the educational process, which takes into account the general and specific characteristics of the students involved.
In the second part of the book, the basic aspects of the scientific approach to emotions are presented. It includes a theoretical research approach with a review of relevant research, followed by neuroanatomy of emotions. In addition, analyzed is the connection between rational and emotional brains, physical changes and emotions, the importance of emotions in educational work in school, communication in play and socio-emotional development, communication in school based on emotions, and especially the importance of emotional competence and emotional intelligence.
The book also presents an overview of various theoretical and research concepts, and the original research approach to emotions and emotional intelligence, realized through a year of empirical research in primary schools (BiH, Croatia), as a paradigm of modern education. The research approach was created as a model of different strategies for regulating students' emotions directly in the teaching process in school. The results of the survey are illustrated with posters of non-verbal communication (which are products of creative and gifted behavior of students); products of verbal nonviolent communication; examples of student strategies in group regulation of emotions, (which are presented through aspects of stimulating students' emotional competence) by presenting original psychological workshops in teaching. The results of the research of emotional competence presented in the book represent an original approach to the emotional literacy of teachers, modeling of the teaching process and modernization of educational work in school.
In the third part of the book, examples with instructions of models of communication are presented to educators and all those who strive to learn more about the possibilities of more efficient teaching and educational activities in school and to all who want to improve their skills. The offered discourse of theoretical research and practical educational work in school ends with the contribution of used and wider literature.
We hope that this book will be inspiring for further research in the complex field of educational activities in school and especially in the process of encouraging the emotional competence of students in school.