From The Classroom To The Big Wide World, Empathy Matters

We need to teach children that empathy matters, so organizations such as Ashoka are heading to classrooms to do just that. Ashoka celebrates “Changemaker Schools” that reinforce empathy, including Mission Hill School in Boston, the Inspired Teaching School in Washington, D.C. and Lake Forest Park Elementary in Seattle. “It helps us to identify the good work we are doing and what else we can do moving forward," shares Aimee Miner, principle of Lake Forest Park Elementary. A global nonprofit, Move This World, is also a strong supporter of empathy, working to prevent bullying and violence in schools and communities. Move This World has brought empathy to more than 8,000 people in the U.S. and has outlined principles for creating a positive environment and becoming a Changemaker School. Some of these principles include understanding the data, supporting leaders to implement proper programs to bring social, emotional and soft skills into the classroom, and sharing success stories. Empathy can help students to have better conflict resolution skills and to better manage their anger, helping them to genuinely care about the well-being of others. It only takes a second to show some empathy, and this can be done through something as simple as asking someone if they’re okay after they’ve fallen down.

Forbes, 8/22/13