Empathy Builds Positive Classroom Culture
Empathy Builds Positive Classroom Culture
Empathy Builds Positive Classroom Culture
and curricula of schooling, and the contexts in which teaching and learning occur;
such a practice assists an educator to simultaneously renew, invigorate, and
maximize the teaching process. Such renewal requires contemplation about
:
1. One’s self and the effect on the teaching/learning process;
2. One’s previously acquired knowledge, skills and dispositions;
3. One’s current learners and educational setting; and
4. One’s vision for accountability and development of every learner’s potential.
The benefits of empathy in education include building positive classroom culture, strengthening
community, and preparing students to be leaders in their own communities.
With the diversity of students entering classrooms each day, paralleled by an increase in
globalization, it's more necessary than ever for teachers to actively construct a positive classroom
culture. In his article "Developing Empathy in the Classroom," Bob Sornson asserts: "Empathy is
the heart of a great classroom culture." Through empathy, he explains, students learn to
understand each other, which helps them to build friendships based on positive relationships of
trust. Taking the time to demonstrate empathy can also develop student-teacher relationships, as
described by Ernest Mendes in "What Empathy Can Do." On a more academic note, school
programs that intentionally incorporate empathy into curriculum have also seen better test results,
as described by John Converse Townsend in Forbes Magazine.
Given that the definition of empathy involves understanding another's feelings without having
experience, empathy sets students up to deepen relationships with their current classmates and
people that they know outside of school. In our increasingly globalized world, these people may
be coming from different cultures and different socioeconomic backgrounds than before, thereby
necessitating better developed empathy skills. Michaela W. Colombo writes in her article
"Reflections From Teachers of Culturally Diverse Children" (PDF) that "approximately 40
percent of children in the U.S. public schools are from culturally diverse backgrounds (NCES
2003)."
As children learn empathy skills by communicating cross-culturally with their classmates, those
skills will transfer to their lives in their community. The deeper relationships that result from
strong empathy skills have the potential to strengthen a community and build trust. The effects of
community extend far beyond the four walls of your classroom.
Leaders must understand the people that they lead and be able to show that they care. Leadership
articles emphasize human development as an essential leadership quality. A study conducted by
the Center for Creative Leadership (PDF) found that "empathy is positively related to job
performance" (Gentry, Weber, & Sadri, p.3). Jon Kolko describes in the Harvard Business
Review how empathy is the key to a successful product. Our students must be able to empathize
with those whom they lead in order to make them feel valued. This validation will strengthen
trust between the leader and followers. As teachers, we must equip our students to be the future
leaders of our communities and beyond.
Passionate teachers
are distinguished by their commitment to achievement of their
students.
Com
mitment is an essential element of
successful teaching. Committed teachers are concerned
with the development of their students and they profoundly struggle
how to keep students’
learning. They cultivate students’ curiosity and interest in learning.
Showin
g commitment to
student learning can be an important factor in motivating students.
Committed teachers
recognize and endeavor to fulfill their responsibilities to
their students
. The degree of loyalty of
committed teachers have, toward their profession is
one of their distinguished characters.
Teachers,
who are engaged in their profession and committed to students and
their learning,
play a crucial role in development of students.
Passionate teachers are those who make great changes in our lives.
Their beliefs and vigorous
actions make us realize our inner values and bewitch us. Passi
on contributes to teacher’s
motivation and performance. P
assionate teacher
s have
an affect on
student achievement.
There is a strong correlation between passionate teaching and
successful student learning.
Commitment, a sense of adherence, is a key factor
that influences learning process of students