As 21st Century teachers, we are tasked with not only teaching content, but character as well. One of the most critical relational skills for character building is empathy. Empathy is the ability for a person to put themselves in another’s shoes. It is a critical relational skill because if our students are unable to imagine themselves in another’s position, contemplate the subjunctive feeling of how it might affect them, and therefore react accordingly, they will miss out on key interpersonal relationship building opportunities.
The opportunity for our students to build relationships is vital to their wellbeing. Humans are social beings and the absences of strong positive relationships creates isolation. When students feel isolated or that they do not belong, their emotional, academic, personal, and social well-being is negatively impacted and can lead to withdrawal, negative behaviors such as drug/alcohol abuse, academic failure, and/or feelings of shame.
Building empathy in students is not just a social justice issue, but a life skill that is critical to human development. How might teachers provide opportunities build empathy? Below are a few ideas:
Begin with self-reflection. What makes them how they are? Family, friends, home, toys, where they grew up, etc. What do they love about their lives, what do they wish they could change.
Allow students to reflect on how they react to to certain images that depict a variety of people in diverse situations. As an AP Human Geography teacher, I use images that show the importance of toys around the world.
I follow @gabrielegalimbertiphoto on Instagram. I will ask them what they see; how is it similar or different to the toys they had; what they believe are the socio-economic, socio-political, and historical connections to the toys they see; what would it be like to live in the family depicted in the photo.
After students can choose one person they saw in the images and write a quick 100 word reflection about what their life would be like if the two were switched. You could use the first few minutes of the trailer “Big” to illustrate.
References
Jordan, J. V. (2000). The role of mutual empathy in relational/cultural therapy. Journal of Clinical
Psychology, 56(8), 1005-1016.
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Jordan, J. V., Hartling, L. M., & Walker, M. (2004). The complexity of connection : Writings from
the stone center's jean baker miller training institute. New York: Guilford Press. Retrieved from https://antioch.on.worldcat.org/oclc/53840198
Jordan, J. V., & Schwartz, H. L. (2018). Radical empathy in teaching. New Directions for
Teaching and Learning, 2018(153), 25-35. doi:10.1002/tl.20278
Jordan, J. V., & Stone Center for Developmental Services and Studies. (1989). Relational
development : Therapeutic implications of empathy and shame. Wellesley, Mass.: Stone
Center, Wellesley College. Retrieved from https://antioch.on.worldcat.org/oclc/22132095
Jordan, J. V., & Stone Center for Developmental Services and Studies. (1989). Relational
development : Therapeutic implications of empathy and shame. Wellesley, Mass.: Stone
Center, Wellesley College. Retrieved from https://antioch.on.worldcat.org/oclc/22132095
