Lesson 5: Human Connection, Empathy and Compassion Know Your Classmates

Objectives Students will be able to define sympathy and empathy and analyze the difference between the two. Students will be able to evaluate the importance of connection in the classroom. Students will generate ideas for opportunities to get to know their classmates on a more regular and frequent basis. Students will be able to relate and contrast empathy with labeling and stereotyping. Students will share their experiences and perspectives with other classmates and show that they are listening and connecting with empathy.

Empathy versus Sympathy Empathy Sympathy What do these words mean? What is the difference? Watch the following video: “Brené Brown on Empathy” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw&t=5s

J0urnal Reflection Empathy How do you show compassion and empathy at school? How have your peers shown you compassion and empathy at school? Do you think you know your classmates? Why or why not? Do you think your classmates know you? Why or why not? Can we show empathy and compassion without knowing one another? Why or why not? Why is feeling connected to one another important? Empathy Empathy: The feeling that you understand and share another person's experiences and emotions through perspective taking, staying out of judgment, and communicating about emotions.

Watch, Journal and Discuss “I am NOT Black, You are NOT White https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0qD2K2RW kc How are labels and stereotypes harmful? How can having empathy help deconstruct or change stereotypes? How might creating labels drive us away from empathy, connection, and perspective taking?

Activity Think of a time that you experienced something that was hard for you. It might be something having to do with your identity, your race, class, gender, etc. Or, it might be something that happened in your family or to your family. Perhaps it is something that happened at an event you attended. It can be anything. Journal about this experience. Listen!!! As a partner, try to show empathy by listening. After your partner shares, try telling them “Thank you so much for sharing that. What I heard you say was… that must have been…. Thank you again for sharing.”

Wrap-Up What are things that you can do during the school day to feel more connected to your classmates? What are some of the challenges of listening to other classmates’ perspectives and what are the challenges of staying out of judgment? How might you overcome the challenges you wrote above? What are activities we could do at school to inspire others to show more compassion and empathy? 1 2 3 4