Emotional 'literacy' implies an expanded responsibility for schools in helping to socialize children. This daunting task requires two major changes: that teachers go beyond their traditional mission and that people in the community become more involved with schools as both active participants in children's learning and as individual mentors.

Empathy represents the foundation skill for all the social competencies important for work.

Brain studies of mental workouts in which you sustain a single, chosen focus show that the more you detach from what's distracting you and refocus on what you should be paying attention to, the stronger this brain circuitry becomes.

Feelings are self-justifying, with a set of perceptions and "proofs" all their own.

Teachers need to be comfortable talking about feelings.

Empathy and social skills are social intelligence, the interpersonal part of emotional intelligence. That's why they look alike.

The people we get along with, trust, feel simpatico with, are the strongest links in our networks