The alarming statistic that 40% to 50% of new teachers leave the profession within five years makes pre-service training of teachers even more crucial to get right. Failing to address the mental health needs and holistic wellbeing of teachers and not providing them with the tools necessary to break the cycle of likely burnout cascade is incredulously negligent, and threatens to make educating our children unsustainable in the future. In this project, through a content analysis approach, I will draw upon a wide range of scholarly research literature to form both the guiding principles and core components of a course to promote and develop social and emotional competencies (SEC) and Emotional Intelligence (EI) in pre-service teachers. The course content and training I propose, however, needs to be not only an ongoing dialogue involving the education community, particularly teachers, but also administrators, families, students, parents, and wellness professionals, and should continue beyond the ...
