Educating at empathy: 6 keys to the XXI century

Empathy is our ability to recognize, feel and respond to the needs and suffering of others. The digital age has given our / sin as new opportunities, more opportunities than ever before to connect with people from all over the world, but seem to have lost empathy … Why? What to do?

The culture of caring and committed Citizenship

With empathy delivered education aim to help the kids and to value others and understand how to stand before the social changes and technological impacts to come. Empathy is systematically related to the self-consciousness: the more aware we are of ourselves and ourselves, more effective understanding to others around us.

More empathetic people:

1. They have curiosity about strangers
2. They challenge the prejudices and discover what they have in common and share with others
3. They gain experience from the experience of others
4. They listen and are open / as others / as
5. They can inspire collective action and social change
6. They have more imagination and creativity.

How to educate empathy from the classroom

1. Create significant vacuoles with students

To develop empathy, you must first feel that same empathy at an early age: to feel that someone cares about us / as, cares for us and helps us advance, for example, in our learning. The teachers who know, appreciate and respect their students beyond the merely academic, help them feel cared for and maintained, increasing their ability to care for others.

2. Self-efficacy

Without that sense of self-efficacy, could not you have enough confidence in order to carry out the challenges that present the life and society? Mentoring is important in this case, to develop a healthy self-esteem:

• Help and Support
• Active listening
• Setting appropriate expectations
• Show interest in the student or the student, but as unique individuals with life outside the center
• Help develop skills of decision-making and problem solving.

3. Values ​​education

Without introduce, of course, very personal questions, such as those derived from religious faith, only in the minimum where everyone agrees cooperation, care, compassion, kindness, service, teamwork, responsibility as citizens, ability to improve their communities and to help solve social problems.

4. Inspiration

Most people with great empathy name their past and inspiring teachers pillars in his life have learned from them and they like concertize better people and better versions of themselves / as. The teachers and copies have been had the passion and ability to inspire, a clear set, articulated and coherent values, commitment to the community, disinterred generosity and ability to overcome obstacles.

5. Expulsion the difference

The difference is part of life, we are not clones: the role of teachers could include the fact of growing curiosity about how individuals and groups have views quite different world: it expands the intellectual, interpersonal and emotional barriers for girls and children. It is important to see the world from different perspectives, or at least try, but that requires starting soon.

6. Links to the real world

Empathy must take action: critical thinking, planning, and troubleshooting organizing, active participation in projects that take them out of their comfort zone and allow them to see the world in a radically different way.