Abstract
Teaching is more than just imparting information; it also involves building meaningful connections with students that inspire them to learn and grow. The ability of a teacher to recognize, control, and express their emotions is essential in today's classrooms, as it affects student motivation and engagement. This research investigated how teachers’ emotional skills impact student engagement in Araling Panlipunan classes across three campuses of a private school. Anchored in Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence framework and the Self-Determination Theory by Deci and Ryan, the study focused on key emotional competencies —self-awareness, emotion management, intrinsic motivation, empathy, and interpersonal abilities —and how these align with students’ basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and connection. A quantitative method was employed, gathering responses from 21 educators aged 20 to 30. Results indicated that most teachers demonstrated strong emotional competencies: 95% were self-aware, 86% managed their emotions effectively, 90% were motivated, 100% showed empathy, and 86% possessed practical social skills. These competencies significantly contributed to higher student engagement, as reflected in scores for autonomy (3.79), competence (3.82), and relatedness (3.83). Despite the positive outcomes, the study highlighted the importance of sustaining and nurturing these emotional competencies. As a result, a professional sustainability program was recommended to support teachers’ emotional well-being and mental health, thereby ensuring an engaging classroom environment and improved learning outcomes.
