EMPATHY

An integral part of Teaching is making sure that each student feels that they are important and treated fairly by everyone in the classroom.  Too often you overhear a student say well I am not going to do that because my Teacher doesn't like me or she picks on me.  NO TEACHER ever wants to reflect that kind of attitude on to one of her students.  She needs to address that conversation with the student and assure the student that everyone in the classroom is very important to her. Another scene we hear in a classroom many times in the upper elementary grades is students complaining about other students not getting along with each other.  One week they are included in such and such a group and the next they are not.   All of these topics need to be addressed within the classroom.  As a class the students need to realize that student's feelings are hurt and suggestions need to be made as a class to prevent them from happening again.  By talking to the whole class about them, not finger pointing, coming up with suggestions to prevent them from happening again the students become more aware of of how hurtful these actions can be to their fellow students.  The discussion might have to be addressed later on to refresh the students if the behavior continues later in the year.  Of course recognize and praise them for getting along so well and recognizing each other's feelings.