I’ve been thinking a lot about empathy recently. Empathy is so crucial especially for someone in a leadership position. We cannot know exactly what someone else is thinking or feeling, but we can try to understand, to listen, and to empathize without being condescending.
It is said that President Franklin D. Roosevelt was a “blue blood,” coming from a rich and privileged family. After his bout with polio at age 39, he became a more humble and empathetic person, finding common bonds with his fellow “polio’s.” This empathy was crucial as he led the nation through the difficult Depression and created programs to address major domestic and international problems.
Let me share a bit about John Howard Griffin, the author of Black Like Me. I first read this book when I was in high school. I remember being disturbed by what I was reading, but I had difficulty really understanding about racial inequaliy because it was so foreign to me, living in Hawaii. With the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests this summer, I felt it was time to reread Black Like Me. I’m glad I did. The book had a much greater impact on me this time around.
As I was reading, there were times when I had to stop and put the book to the side because what I read made me so angry. I kept questioning why racial inequality still exists in our country when this book was published in 1961, nearly 60 years ago. I could not imagine the level of empathy that John Howard Griffin had when he decided to temporarily become a Black man and travel to different cities in the segregated Deep South. Reading about his experiences was heart-wrenching and full of despair.
According to the “Afterword,” written on the 50th anniversary of the book’s release, John Howard Griffin suffered a severe concussion during World War II which led him to become blind for ten years. During that time, he became preoccupied with racism. These are his words: “For the blind man, the whole issue of racism on the basis of inferiority according to color or race is solved axiomatically. He can only see the heart and the intelligence of a man, and nothing in these things indicates to the slightest whether a man is white or black, but only whether he is wise or foolish.” He goes on to say, “The racists can see but they have no perception. Is not the gift of sight then being abused, since it leads men to judge an object by the accident of its color rather than by its real substance - is a red table any more of a table than a green one?” These powerful words explain why Griffin did what he did, going through the process of darkening his skin via medication, shaving his head, and becoming a Negro in the South in 1959 during a time of great racial unrest. Griffin actually walked in the shoes of a Black man, experiencing the injustices and the hatred based solely on the color of one’s skin.
I am concerned about the lack of empathy that is often displayed in our country today. We are sometimes so wrapped up in our own feelings that we cannot relate to the feelings of others. As a leader, it is important to have the kinds of experiences that lead to empathy. If we are born into a “blue blood” family, are we able to understand the challenges of those who are less fortunate? If so, what do we do to make things better for everyone, including those who may be struggling? Do we build positive relationships with others? Being aware of people’s behaviors can give us cues to how they are feeling, and when we notice subtle changes, having a conversation can be just what is needed at that time. Empathetic leaders are good listeners and know that honest discussions can lead to the kind of trust that is essential to the organization.
2020 has been a difficult year. More than ever, we need empathetic leaders who can bring us together to solve the problems that divide us.
Some resources about empathy:
Ages & Stages: Empathy
Can Empathy Be Taught?
There are Actually 3 Types of Empathy
Saturday, July 25, 2020
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
Choices, Choices
I know that I appreciate having choices, and as a teacher, I found that providing choices to my students was an effective way of engaging them in their own learning. Rather than giving everyone the same assignment at the same time, students could choose from an array of activities that were designed to address skills and strategies that were aligned to standards. These suggested assignments were differentiated according to the strengths and needs of the students. What I discovered was that given choices as well as the time to complete the required number of tasks, students were much more engaged and committed to their learning. Additionally, they learned to rely on each other to navigate the tasks because they knew that if I was busy with a small group, they could ask a classmate for help. As a principal, I observed classrooms where students had opportunities to choose how to share their learnings, and their projects were often amazing. Student choice was important and led to motivated students who showed evidence of learning in multiple ways.
In this time of the pandemic, school plans for the new school year are being shared with their communities. I wonder how many teachers were asked about their choices. There are too many teachers, here in Hawaii and on the mainland, who are concerned about going back to school while the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise. For some, it appears to be a choice between staying or leaving the profession they love. They are afraid because they are concerned about their health or the health of their family members. Do they stay and risk getting sick or do they leave before the school year begins?
For others, it’s a choice about doing what’s always been done or trying something different. Because schools and educators were forced to try a new way of reaching their students via virtual learning during the fourth quarter of the last school year, I hoped that schools would see this as an opportunity to make changes this year in teaching and learning. We are two decades into the 21st century, and yet, many educators had not embraced technology to engage and empower students in their learning until they had no choice. Here are a few suggestions that schools could consider as they discuss the opening of the new school year while following health and safety guidelines:
In this time of the pandemic, school plans for the new school year are being shared with their communities. I wonder how many teachers were asked about their choices. There are too many teachers, here in Hawaii and on the mainland, who are concerned about going back to school while the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise. For some, it appears to be a choice between staying or leaving the profession they love. They are afraid because they are concerned about their health or the health of their family members. Do they stay and risk getting sick or do they leave before the school year begins?
For others, it’s a choice about doing what’s always been done or trying something different. Because schools and educators were forced to try a new way of reaching their students via virtual learning during the fourth quarter of the last school year, I hoped that schools would see this as an opportunity to make changes this year in teaching and learning. We are two decades into the 21st century, and yet, many educators had not embraced technology to engage and empower students in their learning until they had no choice. Here are a few suggestions that schools could consider as they discuss the opening of the new school year while following health and safety guidelines:
- Half of the class in the morning (8:00-11:00 including lunch to end the day) and half in the afternoon (11:00-2:00 including lunch to start the day) Fewer students means more individualized attention; teachers are always asking for smaller class sizes. This is a chance to see if that makes a difference.
- Blended learning - students attend school part of the week and connect virtually the other days
- Total distance learning - students and teacher work from home; students check in daily. Teacher connects with students via virtual conferencing, emails, texts, or using platforms such as Google Classroom.
These are just a few ideas that are different from the full day/every day model that many schools have opted for. If schools don’t make the change now, when will they change? This is the perfect opportunity. Think about it. Even if students are back in school every day, their classroom and their schedule will not be what it was like pre-COVID-19 when students were encouraged to work together via partner work or cooperative group work, where students and staff could converse while walking through hallways, where recess was a time to socialize with friends from other classrooms, where community circle was an opportunity to discuss problems or questions from the group. Instead, students will be socially distanced, 6-feet apart, all facing the teacher, all wearing masks. That is more like the factory model that I was taught in many years ago, not 21st century teaching and learning.
I get very upset when I hear people insist that schools could open in the next month or so, even as the COVID-19 numbers are spiking and the pandemic is not under control in our country. The health and safety of our students and our staff is the priority. Until it is safe to do so, our students, teachers, and families need choices that make sense for them.
Related blogs:
“Will We Have the Courage to Change?”
“A New Way of Teaching and Learning”
“What Should Schools Be Teaching in These Turbulent Times?”
Related blogs:
“Will We Have the Courage to Change?”
“A New Way of Teaching and Learning”
“What Should Schools Be Teaching in These Turbulent Times?”
Monday, July 6, 2020
What Should Schools Be Teaching in These Turbulent Times?
As a retired school principal, I don’t have the worries right now that many school leaders are facing. Yet, I am very concerned as I read comments on social media as well as articles about schools opening for the next school year. Teachers and parents want to know what the plan is, and so far, very few districts in our country have the answers. The physical and emotional health and safety of our students and staff are the primary concerns. The uncertainty of where this virus is headed has kept school leaders in limbo, wondering whether to bring people back to campus when the possibility exists that another shutdown could be inevitable. What is a school leader to do?
This is the time for schools to look at today’s problems as an opportunity to do school differently. If we learned anything at all during this pandemic, it’s that schools need to redesign themselves to be less teacher-directed and more student-centered. The time is right for project-based or problem-based or independent learning with students applying essential language arts, math, and technology skills to delve deeper into science and social studies concepts and issues. Students need to learn how to ask higher level questions, to research to find answers, to have discussions with others to get different points of view, to create something to share what they learned, and to reflect on the learning experience with input from classmates and their teachers. With the technology available today, not all students need face-to-face learning in a classroom.
Students as young as kindergarten can participate and make a difference in their school, their community, their world. The beauty of project-based, problem-based, or independent learning is that students can work on projects at home via distance or blended learning programs. Teachers can have the initial discussions and share resources via face-to-face meetings or through videoconferencing because learning can take place outside the four walls of a classroom. We want students to be self-starters, to be able to learn on their own, to ask meaningful open-ended questions, to distinguish between fact and fiction, or to discern why people’s experiences may have a direct impact on how they react to an event. We, as adults, were probably not taught this in school; we were taught through textbooks and assessed on facts as they were presented. Today’s pandemic and the racial and political discord in our country provides a perfect opportunity for our schools to shift learning away from just textbooks, grade level standards, and standardized testing. Assessing students on random reading passages or math problems with no relevance to the real world does not lead to a more enlightened and informed citizenry.
Think of the problems in the world we are facing today: the pandemic, climate change, inequity of opportunity, trash, homelessness, a polarized country, racial discord. Our students shouldn’t have to wait until they are of voting age or can run for elective office to make a difference in their world. These are problems that need to be addressed, and luckily, many students are not waiting; they are making a difference now. (Youth Power: Age-Friendly city needs to hear from people of all ages) Let’s empower our youth by teaching them important skills that will help them become informed, active citizens who care about and get involved in their community, their state, and their world.
And as a former school leader, I hope that the safety and health concerns of our students and staff is at the forefront of any decisions that are made about the next school year.
This is the time for schools to look at today’s problems as an opportunity to do school differently. If we learned anything at all during this pandemic, it’s that schools need to redesign themselves to be less teacher-directed and more student-centered. The time is right for project-based or problem-based or independent learning with students applying essential language arts, math, and technology skills to delve deeper into science and social studies concepts and issues. Students need to learn how to ask higher level questions, to research to find answers, to have discussions with others to get different points of view, to create something to share what they learned, and to reflect on the learning experience with input from classmates and their teachers. With the technology available today, not all students need face-to-face learning in a classroom.
Students as young as kindergarten can participate and make a difference in their school, their community, their world. The beauty of project-based, problem-based, or independent learning is that students can work on projects at home via distance or blended learning programs. Teachers can have the initial discussions and share resources via face-to-face meetings or through videoconferencing because learning can take place outside the four walls of a classroom. We want students to be self-starters, to be able to learn on their own, to ask meaningful open-ended questions, to distinguish between fact and fiction, or to discern why people’s experiences may have a direct impact on how they react to an event. We, as adults, were probably not taught this in school; we were taught through textbooks and assessed on facts as they were presented. Today’s pandemic and the racial and political discord in our country provides a perfect opportunity for our schools to shift learning away from just textbooks, grade level standards, and standardized testing. Assessing students on random reading passages or math problems with no relevance to the real world does not lead to a more enlightened and informed citizenry.
Think of the problems in the world we are facing today: the pandemic, climate change, inequity of opportunity, trash, homelessness, a polarized country, racial discord. Our students shouldn’t have to wait until they are of voting age or can run for elective office to make a difference in their world. These are problems that need to be addressed, and luckily, many students are not waiting; they are making a difference now. (Youth Power: Age-Friendly city needs to hear from people of all ages) Let’s empower our youth by teaching them important skills that will help them become informed, active citizens who care about and get involved in their community, their state, and their world.
And as a former school leader, I hope that the safety and health concerns of our students and staff is at the forefront of any decisions that are made about the next school year.
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