The relationship between teacher candidates' levels of emotional intelligence and attitudes towards teaching profession

In this research, the relationship between candidate teacher's attitude toward teaching and emotional intelligence levels investigated. The study was conducted using screening model and descriptive research method to investigate candidate teacher's attitude toward teaching and emotional intelligence levels. The study group of research consists of 280 candidate teachers who studied in Faculty of Education in Dokuz Eylul University during 2017-2018 academic year. The study group was formed with simple random sampling method. In the research process, "Attitude Scale of Teaching Profession" which developed by Üstüner (2006) and "Bar-on Emotional Quotient Inventory" which adapted by Acar (2002) used as data collection tools. Gathered results were analysed with Frequency, Correlation, T-test, One-way ANOVA and Regression analyses by using SPSS 25.0. Research results show that there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between candidate teacher's attitude toward teaching and emotional intelligence levels. It has also been determined that both candidate teacher's attitude toward teaching and emotional intelligence levels do not vary significantly according to variables; department, department preference rank at university entrance exam, university grade, type of high school candidate teacher graduated from, parent's education and profession, having a teacher parent or teacher relative. There was no significant difference between the emotional intelligence levels of candidate teachers according to gender, but there was significant difference between attitude toward teaching profession according to gender in favor of female candidate teachers.