Ensuring students are well-rounded and empathetic

*** For more information on our video curriculum program, Building Empathy,
please visit Magnify Education ***

Empathy is the ability to interact respectfully and effectively with people who come from very different places than you do. This could be with people from different races/cultural/religious practices or simply those with diverse views of the world. 

This is not something that is innate to humankind. We are hardwired to fear differences: this is how we stayed alive back in the days when strangers usually equated to danger. Our DNA still carries this tendency to look for sameness, or familiarity, to close ranks when presented with ideas and practices that are different than ours.  

This means that empathy is not something many people just “do” or “know.” Instead, developing empathy is a skill: it takes education, training, and practice. And just like when we’re learning any new skill, most people must be taught the information and approaches before they are able to bring these into the world effectively. This is true both from a “mindset” and a “skillset.” 

This is why incorporating the ability to develop and use empathy into the education system is incredibly important. By exposing young people to these skills, they are able to grow up developing this mindset and skillset, instead of becoming set in their biological ways.  

SchoolComm Consultants works with highly successful trainers who can lead your staff through empathy training and/or develop one-time or ongoing programs for your students. In addition, we are in the process of developing credit flex video program to increase students’ knowledge and understanding of empathy. These videos will focus on a variety of topics, including understanding and recognizing implicit bias, diversity, inclusion, emotional intelligence, and moral foundations.