Deploying Empathy for Learners
“Few things are more damaging to learning than the power tripping that occurs when teachers let power posit their perceptions and limit their empathy. Conversely, few things are more nourishing to learning than teachers who clearly understand how students feel.
-Jim Knight HIGH IMPACT INSTRUCTION
Empathy is a superpower. One simple question to pause and reflect on at any moment in the classroom is, “how would I feel at this moment if I were a student in my class?” Pausing to reflect and engage in a little time-travel can be a simple habit to incorporate as you lead yourself in the classroom and more positively impact the students you serve.
The inspiration for this post comes from the book below, EMPATHY by Roman Krznaric.
EMPATHY
IS THE ART OF STEPPING IMAGINATIVELY INTO THE SHOES OF ANOTHER PERSON, UNDERSTANDING THEIR FEELINGS AND PERSPECTIVES, AND USING THAT UNDERSTANDING TO GUIDE YOUR ACTIONS.
- ROMAN KRZNARIC
In order for this idea and habit of pausing to reflect and engage in time-travel to have an impact on more fully developing ourselves in the area of empathy, I’ve created two scenarios below that could potentially help illustrate the power of this habit.
Imagine scenario #1:
You’ve been asked to create a presentation for your colleagues on something you’ve recently started learning. You know it well. You understand the structure for the meeting and the expectations for your presentation delivery. You’ve been preparing for this presentation for weeks. You’ve asked your administrative team for feedback and coaching, your colleagues have been kind enough to preview the presentation along the way and have offered great suggestions, and you have reviewed the content enough to be confident with your delivery.
Fast-forward to the night before the presentation. Like some people, you might be feeling confident because of your preparation. Or, perhaps you are still feeling anxious about the next day, still feel like an imposter. And yet, you might be experiencing a range of emotions along this continuum.
Try naming all the feelings you are experiencing.
Either way, you’ve created something. It’s your best work at the moment and the day is here.
Now imagine you are in front of your colleagues and administrative team on the day of the presentation.
How do you feel about all of your hardworking throughout the creation of your project?
How do you want your work to be received by your peers? By administration?
What kind of feedback are you seeking on this day and for the entire body of work throughout the creation process?
What are you hoping for?
What feelings are you experiencing before, during, and after?
Imagine scenario #2:
You have decided to have your students create a project to demonstrate their understanding for a particular unit you’ve been studying in class. You have your guiding questions for the unit and these questions have been to focus for the last six weeks. You’ve checked students’ understanding throughout with formative assessments that have informed the direction of the unit and allowed you to meet with individuals and small-groups to coach and provide feedback along the way, just as you would with formative assessment data. The students are in a good spot overall. No two students are the same, but for the most part, all students are able to demonstrate understanding as it relates to the guiding questions.
At this point, your students are secure in their knowledge. You are confident too. You clearly outline the success criteria and the accompanying single-point or multi-point rubric. They’re ready.
The students are bursting with anticipation and excitement. They’re brainstorming in class. They’re sharing ideas that can help their peers. They’re getting creative and building off of the ideas of their classmates. They’re revising and rethinking sections. And there you are, coaching and asking questions about how they are progressing and what still needs to be accomplished. You want your students to succeed. They know you want them to succeed.
Fastforward to the work they’re doing at home or during the class time you are provinding.. Your students are telling people at school, at home, and within your classroom about the project. We have momentum.
Now, imagine that it is the day before the projects are due. The people in your classroom are bringing a project into your classroom for the assignment.
How do you think your students feel about their hard work throughout the creation of their project?
How do you think they want their work to be received by their peers? By you?
What kind of feedback do you think students are seeking on this day and for their entire body of work throughout the creation process?
Can you identify the hope in your students?
Can you find the feelings behind how your students feel before, during, and after?
This exercise in time-travel is simply a practical example that most of us in education can relate to on some level. Although the example above is contrived and overly simplified, my hope is that it resonates on some level.
When we, as educators pause to think about what it feels like to be a student in our classroom, we naturally deploy empathy in a way that can clearly define our next steps and actions and therefore comfortably being able to respond to the question; what’s best for students right now?
In the scenarios above, both individuals had worked to the best of their ability to actually create something of value for others. It is also true that both individuals understood the content well enough. And, while we shouldn’t consume ourselves with intent, we can look at this opportunity through a lens of humility, vulnerability, and courage as a means to assume POSITIVE intent by the individuals.
Try the HABIT:
First, a thought about habits.
A simple view of the habit loop; the cue, the trigger that propels us to go into automatic mode and to chose a habit for that given moment, the routine is the action that can be either physical or mental, and the reward which helps identify whether that habit is worth remembering.
So, in order for this habit to take hold and have an impact, it will require awareness and practice. One way I’ve thought about creating this habit is to try it in a few different phases before, during, and after a project in the classroom. Below is a list of possibilities that might provide a cue to prompt the routine of pausing to do a little time-travel, in order to deploy empathy, and use this information to inform your actions so that you can experience the rewards of thriving students demonstrating their learning.
As you are planning, have pictures of your students in front of you.
Write a guiding question for yourself. A simple, what will each student experience throughout this project?
Consider alternatives for students to demonstrate their understanding.
Identify areas of the planned experience where students may need additional support or more clarity around expectations.
Ask students for feedback during the planned project.
Consider ways to support students’ planning and executive functioning skills throughout the project.
As students are engaged in the work, ask yourself the question; how would I feel if I were a student in my class?
As students are nearing the middle and end of the project, consider surveys with questions that help students unpack their challenges, how they’ve overcome those challenges, something that makes them proud, or to simply thank a person who has been helpful in the development of their project.
There are countless other options to lead with empathy for our students as they bring creations and projects into our classrooms. Cultivating and practicing the habit of pausing to do a little time travel can transform the way our students learn and see themselves as learners as well as support your energy and enjoyment for the important work you do each day.
If you have additional strategies, I’d be thrilled to hear from you in the comments.