“Teaching empathy in a time of controversy” (Bowie, 2017)
was the all too relevant and simplistic headline of the Baltimore Sun this
October. The article described a dedicated teacher hoping to shift the hostile
climate of her classroom by implementing a curriculum that would foster
empathy. The author highlighted the immense need for such direct action during our
current political climate and applauded the teacher’s efforts. Surprisingly, I
found myself torn after reading this article. On one hand, it was encouraging to
hear that these high school freshman were going to be provided with a curriculum dedicated to their social emotional well-being. This course was exactly what I
had been wanting to see for years – more time allowed for critical
conversations, and space to process the undercurrent of emotions and thoughts
that affect students’ academic performance throughout the day.
Yet, I was also disappointed by the novelty expressed in
this article. Why was this course on empathy considered a unique solution and
not a common practice? And in a city reeling with behavioral challenges among
very young students, why was this being introduced in high school? This week,
the news reported that “more than 40% of children in Maryland experience
traumatic events” (Cohn, 2017), and many of those children live in Baltimore.
Thankfully, the research also explained the resiliency of children and their
ability to overcome trauma given the proper support and care. This is excellent
news, but it also begs the question, “Are we equipped?” Are teachers provided
with the necessary training and resources to support students, as early as
preschool, who are working through personal traumas or systemic hardships?
For the past month, I have been a substitute teacher in on
the outskirts of Baltimore city. On my very first day, I was asked to teach
first graders about community members and the first person highlighted on the
worksheet was a police officer. “I think they are killers…murders!” screamed a
little girl before anyone else had a chance to answer. The class waited for me
to respond. The following week, a 5th grade boy knelt silently
during the pledge of allegiance. Again, the class waited for my reaction. These young students were keenly aware of the
tension in our nation and in this city, not to mention the personal experiences
they may have had. I guided the little girl in choosing the multiple choice
answer that best described her disgust, and I did not discourage the 5th
grader’s display of solidarity. To me, these experiences demonstrated the need
for much earlier intervention and support of students’ social and emotional well-being.
The trauma is happening now, and high school is too late.
References
Bowie, L. (2017,
October 8). At Maryland high schools, teaching empathy in a time of
controversy. Retrieved October 25, 2017, from https://www.newsoneplace.com/4826401709/maryland-schools-teaching-empathy-controversy
Cohn, M. (2017,
October 19). More than 40 percent of Maryland children experience traumatic
events. Retrieved October 25, 2017, from
http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-hs-adverse-childhood-experiences-20171018-story.html
1 comment:
Great post! I think it is important that we (as educators) always acknowledge that students are people. All people (including kids!) need to be heard and understood as people and not simply within their identity as students. It seems like the teacher you highlighted is trying to acknowledge the humanity of her students, and I applaud that.
I also wonder, is there one definition of empathy? I think empathy looks and feels different depending on who you are. Each person finds their own meaning and should be encouraged to express empathy and compassion in a way that makes sense to him/her. I think, in general, teachers are not equipped to help students build their own autonomy, which (to me) is inextricably linked to supporting all students’ social and emotional well-being.
One final thought: our time and place in the world matters and matters to our students. In my school, we say the Pledge of Allegiance each morning. A year ago, I used to make my class all stand. Now, each student can choose to participate or not. I wouldn’t have even thought about that a year ago. But the protests in the NFL are a part of our world context and push teachers to be critical of our practices in the classroom. My students are only five, but I think they should have a choice. To me, it is a part of helping them build autonomy and of acknowledging their identity as people, not just as students.
Post a Comment