Teaching Empathy in 5G - 2016

Our Middle Years Resource teacher has been working with our class on the topic of empathy. The students have had an opportunity to view, read and represent different empathy situations.  We also looked into God's word to see what was written about empathy there.

What Does Empathy Mean to You??

The videos we watched were:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU3QfyqvHk8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icIlUdTEQnU

The scripture passages we read:

Ephesians 4:32 - 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Matthew 7:12 - The Golden Rule 12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Ephesians 4:29 - Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Philippians 2:3  - Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Mark 12:31- 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Colossians 3:12-14 - Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Psalm 1:1-6 - Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; ...

The students were then asked to:

Read each situation below and THINK about how you would feel and how you would want to be treated.  PAIR with a partner and discuss your thoughts. SHARE your ideas with the class and record them for each situation.

1. Your teacher randomly chooses groups and when your name is called the other students in your group groan.

How do you feel:

How do you want to be treated:

2.  In gym, you are the last one to be chosen for a team.

How do you feel:

How do you want to be treated:

3.  You lose at bump during recess and the winner gloats.

How do you feel:

How do you want to be treated:

4.  You share an idea during group work that is put down by your group members.

How do you feel:

How do you want to be treated:

5.  You receive the lowest mark in the class on a project.

How do you feel:

How do you want to be treated:

Finally, the students were asked to role play one situation showing a lack of empathy and then the same situation with empathy. These were presented to the class.