Empathy Coordinator and 1st Grade Teacher Eleanor Palm explains how to cultivate empathy through reading…
Despite the huge size of the school, Palm masterfully creates a small and caring community of students in her class. One of the main ways that she creates this empathic community is through storytelling. From sharing the stories of how they got their names, to telling stories of day-to-day life, students in Palm’s class are constantly communicating, giving and building empathy. However, this sharing and storytelling does not stop in class – students also bring home nightly readings to discuss and enjoy with their parents. An expert at empathy and literature, Palm was excited to share a few tips for encouraging empathy in your children while you read together:
