Progressive school environments develop students academically and in a humane manner by incorporating themes of empathy into the curriculum. Empathy is derived from the Greek word “empatheia” which means, “to suffer with.” Empathetic individuals understand and communicate with other people’s inner being. McAllister and Irvine (2002) contend that empathy or “feeling with” surpasses the ability to feel for someone by allowing an individual to be one with other’s situations in a nonjudgmental fashion. This altruistic nature of feeling manifests itself in student-teacher relationships. I foster active learning, healing, and growth in classroom settings by approaching students’ issues with empathy. Common notions perceive schools as places to gain knowledge and high grades (Cotton, 1992). However, to develop a more holistic individual, educators must offer more than just academic achievements. They must develop settings that provide continuity and support for care and trust (Noddings, 1995). I must augment entire aspects of the student through recognizing diverse classroom contexts, addressing student challenges through empathetic approaches, enriching the student-teacher relationship, and creating a caring community of learners.
Teachers must develop their cultural diversity pedagogies to facilitate better teaching in multicultural contexts (McAllister & Irvine, 2002). McAllister and Irvine (2002) asserts that students of color who have caring relationships with their instructors are more likely to feel motivated and record higher grades. In contrast, Thompson (1998) reiterates that schools and colleges are guilty of suppressing discussions about race and color. Empathy as a KEEPS domain requires that educators care for and believe in the potential of learners. Teaching in a high needs urban community exposed to me to students from different cultures, ethnicities, and religions. I encouraged recognition of diversity by giving students an opportunity in class to share special aspects from their culture or ethnicity. Understanding different cultural contexts must begin at an early stage to foster development of aware individuals (Thompson, 1998). We’re drawn from the majority community and must undertake adequate preparation on being empathetic towards different cultures without bias. I must take more time to augment my cultural knowledge through research and interactions with peers dealing with similar issues. Through further development, I aspire to be more caring, supportive, and responsive to culturally diverse students.
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Student’s face a myriad of challenges in their school lives. Teachers seldom take time to see beyond the student and relate with the people in classrooms. Mendes (2003) indicates that students must perceive that a teacher cares before they decide to open up and like the teachers. Educators fail by demanding respect instead of building a rapport through genuine desire to connect with students (Mendes, 2003). Matthew lost his mother at a young age and had to take care of his siblings when his father was working double shifts to support the family. He faced challenges finishing his assignments. I called him aside after class and asked what was troubling him. I shared my own personal loss experience and encouraged him that the situation will eventually get better. He became more motivated and improved in the ensuing tests. My interactions with Matthew led me to believe that students respond better to care. Teachers must approach student problems with empathy and create a safe environment for open interactions (Cotton, 1992).I was empathetic towards Matthew by “feeling with him” and helping him understand that life gets better even after losing a loved one.
Empathetic approaches in the classroom are necessary for establishing connections in teacher-student relationship (Noddings, 1995). The capstone class and influences of TAL 971 led me to the realization that empathy is similarly important for teachers as it is for learners. I can learn a great deal from fostering care and support in the classroom. Noddings (1995) contends that personal experiences are more important in a child’s life that any curriculum or pattern of pedagogy. When teachers connect with students, they form person-to-person relationships that present them as real people to students (Noddings, 1995). By sharing the loss of my mother with Matthew, I constructed new knowledge in a student. He gained trust and motivation to persevere with struggles of life. Understanding empathy as a KEEPS domain guides me in changing aspects of my teaching pedagogy that limit connections with my students. Noddings (1995) indicates that caring is a continuous process of seeking competence as human beings.
Recent prevalence of violence in schools highlights the need for teachers to incorporate more empathy into the curriculum (Noddings, 1995). Empathy in teaching should extend beyond the student-teacher interactions and foster a space in which students are empathetic towards each other (Thompson, 1998). As indicated in introduction to KEEPS claims in TAL 971, school is primarily a form of community life. Teachers can facilitate empathic development by introducing activities that bring students towards relating with their peer’s feelings (Cotton, 1992). For example, in the article Gannon, a fifth-grade taught her students about care through a community intervention program, where they visited veterans in the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System (Strauss, 2017). Students felt inspired through the selfless act of caring (Strauss, 2017). Noddings (1995) asserts that all humans can be guided towards living life in deep concern for others. I aim at developing care in my students from an early age by integrating empathy into my teaching philosophy. For example in the article, Gannon helped her students realize the importance of caring for veterans based on their service and sacrifice for international security. Ultimately, these children grow up and carry these teachings to their respective communities and professions.
Empathy in teaching practice contributes to healthy relationships and cognitive processes of child development. Teachers must augment entire aspects of student development through recognizing diverse classroom contexts, addressing student challenges through empathetic approaches, enriching the student-teacher relationship, and creating a caring community of learners. Educators can reduce prevalence of hostility, bullying, and aggression in school environments by teaching students the importance of empathy. I have significantly reduced violence in my classroom by teaching students to respect each other and employ non-violent means such as dialogue, to solve issues. I am vested with the power to shape the outcome of students and their own self-perceptions. Being empathetic and sharing personal experiences with students makes them feel that a teacher actually cares. I have earned respect by showing care and empathy towards students. In that sense, I can create support environments in the classroom where learners learn from other’s experiences and comprehend the importance of empathy in daily interactions.
References
Cotton, K. (1992). Developing Empathy in Children and Youth. School Improvement Research Series , 1-18.
McAllister, G., & Irvine, J. J. (2002). The Role of Empathy in Teaching Culturally Diverse Students: A Qualitative Study of Teachers’ Beliefs. Journal of Teacher Education , 433-443. https://doi.org/10.1177/002248702237397
Mendes, E. (2003). What Empathy Can Do? Building Classroom Relationships , 61(1), 56-59. Retrieved May 29, 2020, from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept03/vol61/num01/What-Empathy-Can-Do.aspx
Noddings, N. (1995). Teaching Themes of Care. The Phi Delta Kappan , 76(9), 675-679. Retrieved May 29, 2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20405432?origin=JSTOR-pdf
Strauss, V. (2017, March 3). How do you teach kids to care about something? Here's how one teacher does it. The Washington Post , 1-5.
Thompson, A. (1998). Not the Color Purple: Black Feminist Lessons for Educational Caring. Harvard Educational Review , 68(4), 522-555. https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.68.4.nm436v83214n5016
