Sparking empathy
One teacher's Empatico Experience
A picture is worth a thousand words.
Right now, open your photos on your phone, and select one meaningful picture. Really, stop and do this right now. Why is it significant? What does this picture say about you as a person? How does this photo make you feel? My photo is my WHY. Why I am a teacher. Why I continue to do what I do each day. Why I look forward to waking up in the morning. Why my job is challenging yet still rewarding after 22 years. Looking back on my teaching career I have found one common thread, one thing that has always driven me to do my best: “THAT KID” You know “that kid,” the one who needs you to smile and greet them in the morning. That kid who needs high expectations and consistency to be successful. Whether it is a student who doesn’t have enough to eat or a place to sleep, a child with autism or special needs, or a child in an abusive home, all of these children deserve to have a teacher who cares about them and advocates to make their life better. This past week, I noticed “That Kid” was having a rough day and started arguing another student in the middle of math class. “He’s always talking smack about me!” he blurted. I looked at the clock. Fifteen minutes until recess. I calmly said, “Right now we are talking about math.” and asked them to stay inside to discuss at recess. We sat down in a circle and I allowed each student to share what was bothering them. If either boy tried to interrupt, I politely reminded them they would get a chance to be heard. It turns out one student had said something about the other student’s family situation which cut very deeply. The hurt and resentment had built up inside and finally bubbled over in class. I asked them to consider how it would feel to be in the other person’s shoes. By the end, all three of us were in tears because both students were sharing very emotional and honest experiences and feelings. It took a lot of courage and trust to share. In that moment, you could see that they truly empathized with each other. I offered them both a hug, and told them how much I care about them. They shook hands. To lighten the mood, we ate some iced animal crackers. I knew they could use a few minutes to run off the negative energy and I let them go to the gym to run a couple of laps while I picked up the class from recess. As they were running side by side and laughing, I realized how important it is to make time for developing social emotional learning. Two thirds of children have experienced at least one Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) which can have lasting impacts on their development. For many kids, school may be the only place where they feel safe. With all of the demands and initiatives of teaching, we often feel pressure to make sure students are actively engaged in learning the curriculum. Unfortunately, no learning will take place without the basic needs of your students being met. Social and emotional learning are just as important as academic learning. Take time to have conversations with your students. If you notice someone is having a rough day, think about what may be causing this behavior. Maybe he didn’t sleep because he has to sleep on a couch or she was watching her baby sister while her mom worked. You may not be able to change their living circumstances, but you can alter how you respond. Building empathy starts with educators. One valuable tool that helps promote empathy is Empatico. Empatico connects kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms around the world through live video and meaningful lessons designed to foster empathy and empower global citizens. Empatico is an initiative of the Kind Foundation with a goal to connect 1 million classrooms by 2020. My fourth grade learners have a partner class in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. We connect about twice a month and share about our common experiences. All of the lessons and resources are provided online. This week we shared about festivals in our communities. One learner made a powerful observation about the mango and coffee festivals, “I guess mango and coffee are to Honduras as steel is to Pittsburgh.” One of our friends in Honduras, played the Baby Shark tune on his flute. We learned in our first interaction we had this silly song in common. Both our classes love to share talents and are excited to demonstrate science experiments. Through these interactions, students learn communication skills and develop the ability to reflect on experiences from someone else’s perspective. Building relationships and trust with students can go a long way to creating a positive environment where all students can learn and thrive. As a teacher, you may already have discovered your WHY, but do you know your students’ WHYS? What makes them tick? What are they passionate about? How can you fuel their curiosity or help them explore a talent? Take the time to connect with others and listen to their perspective. Empathy starts with educators and Empatico can help everyone discover why it is important. Do it for “That Kid.”
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