Teacher’s Corner

Empathy leads to students having higher self-esteem, being more respectful of others, and treating others more fairly. Bullies do not have much empathy. Therefore, students who develop empathy will less likely use bullying behavior.

One way students can develop empathy is to practice being caregivers. For example, they can do chores in the classroom that make things cleaner, neater, more convenient for their classmates. They can tutor classmates and begin to understand the struggles that other students have. They can do community service.

Read more about empathy at

• Kids and Pets: The Basics 
• Kids and Pets: More about Responsibility, Love, Independence, and Loss
• Bullying.

Writing Prompts and Discussion Topics on the subject of empathy.

1. What is empathy? Explain what it is and give examples of empathy in action.
2. Do you think bullies have empathy for others? Support your opinion with examples.
3. How do you think people learn to be empathetic? 

Teachers, you can use this blog in classrooms. Here are two ideas about how.

1. For middle or high school parenting or child development courses:

• Use the blog for discussion topics
• Require students to research the topics and agree or disagree with what the blog is suggesting.

2.  For all courses, especially English Language Arts:

• Use the blog for writing prompts for paragraphs, theme papers, journal entries, class starters, etc. Have students read the blog and respond to:
  • Do you agree with what is being said about kids? Do kids really act, think or feel that way?
  • Do you agree with what is being said about parents, grandparents, teachers and child caregivers? Do or should they act, think or feel that way?
  • What would be your advice on this topic?
  • What was left out of this article?
  • If you were a parent, would you use any of this information? How?

Why can this blog be a useful teaching tool?

• Students that see connections between their coursework and their lives do better in school.
• Most students will either be parents one day or have children in their lives that they care about, so the topical information can help them build their knowledge about children and parenting and develop a positive image of the type of parenting they want to do.
• The new core literacy standards adopted by most states call for frequent writing in all courses.
• Newly developed end-of-course assessments to be used by many states will require that students demonstrate that they can think critically. These prompts help students practice critical thinking.
• Newly developed end-of-course assessments to be used by many states will require that students demonstrate that they can analyze what they read. These prompts help students practice analysis.