Empathy through engagement

At the heart of the Class’s Hour approach is a focus on engagement. Fortunately, you don’t need to dedicate precious class time to make engagement a priority.

Here are some steps you can take to integrate principles of engagement without an overhaul of your existing curricula:

• Empower students to express their thoughts and concerns, either in person or in private, such as in an online forum where students submit complaints.
• Conduct a survey where students can express their fears and concerns anonymously. Share the data you collect from that survey to help students understand that their anxieties are shared by others.
• Monitor social media for calls for help.
• Let students know you’re listening to their concerns by drafting new policies or strategies and letting them know that they aren’t alone.
• Provide empathy training to teachers and staff during annual professional development workshops and help educators prioritize empathy in their classrooms.