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Empathy, defined as the ability to understand how another person feels, plays a pivotal role in successful human interactions. It enables us not only to perceive how others feel, but also to react appropriately to those feelings.
In a school setting, developing empathy in students fosters a respectful learning environment, encourages cooperation and reduces conflict, while preparing young people to become responsible citizens sensitive to the realities of others.
Empathy is intrinsically linked to three major types of skills:
The empathy teaching program proposed by the French Ministry of Education is based on these 3 types of skills, which it breaks down into 16 detailed competencies (in French – translated below).
Classification of psychosocial skills supporting empathy according to the French Ministry of Education, based on the Santé Publique France classification. Source : Kit pédagogique du Ministère (volume 1)
Cognitive skills are essential for students to analyze and understand their own thoughts and behaviors; skills crucial to their personal and academic development. Cognitive skills include:
These skills enable students to recognize, understand and manage their emotions and those of others, which is essential for their well-being and social success. Emotional skills include:
Social skills are crucial to establishing and maintaining healthy interpersonal relationships. Social skills include:
Teaching empathy at school aims to develop these 16 skills in students in order to foster learning, their self-fulfillment, but also their overall long-term health.
Published in 2022, the report by Santé Publique Franceon the state of scientific and theoretical knowledge demonstrates that effective psychosocial skills education programs contribute positively to academic success, emotional well-being, and bullying prevention. For more than three decades, research has shown that Psychosocial Competencies (often referred to by the acronym PSC) play a crucial role from an early age, influencing not only children’s personal development, but also their overall health and academic performance.
Life skills make a significant contribution to reducing bullying and violent behavior among young people. The implementation of generic PSB programs has led to a 15% reduction in violent behavior across all age groups, and up to 29% among adolescents. These interventions promote a healthier school environment and reduce various risk behaviors, such as substance abuse, through integrated preventive strategies from the very start of schooling.
Psychosocial skills improve children’s general well-being and their ability to deal with stressful situations. They also help improve relaxation and problem-solving skills, reducing anxiety and suicidal thoughts. In the long term, these skills enable young adults to better know and care for their mental health, and develop greater social acceptance towards people with mental disorders.
Effective school-based CPS programs show a significant influence on students’ academic success, notably because they reduce disruptive behavior in the classroom, and promote better integration of children with academic difficulties. These positive results extend into adolescence, with a reduction in addictive behaviours and involvement in criminal activities. These improvements are seen thanks to the implementation of rules of behavior and teamwork from an early age.
Internationally, several countries have adopted programs to teach empathy and psychosocial skills with demonstrably positive results.
In Scandinavia, integrating psychosocial skills into school curricula from an early age has led to a notable reduction in bullying and an improvement in students’ mental health.
In Denmark, teaching empathy has been part of the school curriculum since 1993. Every week, during an hour of “Klassens tid” (class time), pupils aged 6 to 16 take part in empathy classes, where they discuss the problems they encounter and work together to find solutions. This practice encourages students to actively listen to their peers and approach problems collaboratively, strengthening their ability to respect and understand the feelings of others. This approach aims not only to prevent bullying, but also to strengthen interpersonal relations within the school.
The Danish method also reserves an important place for collaboration between students: pupils are accustomed to working together on projects, learning the importance of mutual aid and collaboration. This approach has been widely beneficial, not only for the students’ well-being but also in terms of academic performance and the development of social skills.
The positive impact of these programs on students’ well-being and socio-emotional development is also reflected in international rankings, where Denmark is regularly cited among the countries where children are the happiest in the world.
In Canada, teaching empathy in schools often integrates social-emotional development programs that aim to improve students’ social interactions, academic success and overall well-being. These programs encourage students to understand and manage their emotions and develop positive relationships with others, leading to a significant reduction in bullying and an improved school atmosphere.
Created in 1996 by social entrepreneur Mary Gordon, the school program Roots of empathy was designed to develop “emotional literacy”, empathy and social understanding, through observation… of a baby!
Over the course of the school year, students receive 27 visits from a partner family and their baby, who is 2-4 months old at the start of the program. These unique interactions allow them to directly observe the baby’s development and behaviors, fostering a better understanding of their own and others’ emotions.
The effects of the “Roots of Empathy” program are well documented. It has been shown to reduce levels of relational aggression among participating students, increase sharing, caring and inclusion, and improve resilience and overall well-being. In addition to these behavioral impacts, the program positively influences the school climate, reducing incidents of harassment and improving interactions between students. The program is now being implemented in several provinces across Canada, reaching urban, rural and remote communities, including aboriginal communities, providing a robust and adaptable model for teaching empathy in schools worldwide. It is estimated to cost around 400 Canadian dollars per student.
The French Ministry of Education has developed a pedagogical kit in several volumes. This kit is structured to eventually cover all psychosocial skills through activities adapted to the different ages of pupils, from kindergarten to CM2. Each activity is accompanied by a practical worksheet, and is designed to be easily integrated into existing programs.
For empathy teaching programs to be effective, several key elements need to be considered.
Firstly, sessions must be well structured, focusing on clearly defined, research-backed skills. The quality of implementation is also crucial: successful sessions are generally sequential, focused and explicit, designed to actively engage students in the learning process.
Teacher posture also plays a decisive role in the success of programs teaching empathy, and psychosocial skills more broadly.
As emphasized in the preamble to the Teaching Kit provided by the Ministry, it is essential that teachers adopt a caring approach to themselves and remain attuned to their own emotions. Not only does this help to embody and model the behaviors expected of students, it also creates a supportive environment where students feel safe to explore and express their own emotions.
Encouraging teachers to practice self-kindness and recognize their own limitations, asking for help, can help them maintain a positive and inclusive classroom climate, which is essential for the success of CPS teaching programs.
Like the safety instructions reminded before an airplane takes off, the adult must first put the oxygen mask on his or her face, before helping his or her child to do so!
The introduction of empathy teaching in French schools from the start of the 2024 school year represents a significant evolution in the way education is perceived and delivered. This initiative, which focuses on psychosocial and emotional skills, prepares students to better know and understand themselves to better manage their emotions and in fine, communicate constructively to maintain healthy and harmonious relationships with others.
The expected impact is a calmer school environment, where mutual respect and understanding foster more effective learning.
The widespread introduction of empathy classes in elementary school bears witness to a growing appreciation of emotional intelligence within the education system.