How to Teach Empathy in Elementary Schools

Role-playing is one way to teach empathy to children.

Teachers have a huge responsibility for teaching empathy in their education classrooms. Not all students learn the art of caring and being empathetic at home. Sometimes schools have to step in and teach this skill. There are many lesson plans that teach empathy, but some stand above others. Empathy can be taught, but is best done through role-playing excercises, according to a 1992 article presented by Dr. Adam Blatner at the American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting.

Things You'll Need

• Container
• Index cards
• Disability written on each post card
• Parental permission note
• Visor
• Ear plugs
• Crutch
• Arm sling
• Wheelchair

Instructions

1. Send a letter home explaining to parents that students will be taking part in a role-playing lesson to teach empathy towards others who are different, such as handicapped students. Let parents know that props will be used for the role-playing. Children who do not receive permission can stay with another teacher during the lesson.

2. Explain the concept of empathy and how it differs from sympathy. Tell students empathy is taking sympathy one step further. Sympathy means feeling sorry, while empathy means feeling what the other person would feel. Explain that they will role-play having a specific handicap to better understand empathy.

3. Create index cards with a different handicap on each card. Fold the card in half. Place all cards in a plastic container. Take into account handicaps that may already be represented in the classroom. If a child is in a wheelchair, role-playing this handicap might make the child feel uncomfortable. Explain to the students that making fun of anyone during the role-play is prohibited and that the purpose is to understand how a handicapped person feels.

4. Draw a card out of the container. Explain to the children that they are to draw a card that will be their handicap for the next hour. Props will be needed depending on the handicap. Have visors, ear plugs, arm slings, crutches and wheelchairs handy. For the next hour, the students will act as if they are living with the handicap listed on their index card. Continue to teach a lesson as if the students did not have a handicap.

5. Discuss how each student felt afterwards. Bring the class back together for discussion and collect all index cards and aids so students concentrate on the conversation. Ask students what their handicap was, what their difficulties were and how they think someone living with this handicap would feel. Notice and mention students who assisted each other with their specific handicap. For instance, if a student was role-playing blind and had a visor, did her fellow students read the assignment to her? Remind students again what the definition of empathy is and that they are to practice this skill every day.

References

• Teaching Empathy: Using Role Playing in Teaching Empathy
• Teaching Your Child Empathy
• Teaching Children to Emathize