Empathy [Grade 1]

Concepts: Reflection and Responsibility
Target: Have children learn to empahize 
Tools: picture interpreting, drawing, sharing, viewing
Inquiry into: how other people experience and see the world
Timeframe: 3.5 months (2 Units)

Pre-assessment: In order to get a sense of whether children can de-center and put themselves in other people's shoes, I needed to utilize some kind of assessment tool. The three mountains test by Piaget lends an opportunity to objectively assess if children assume other people see the world the same way as they do. The objective of the unit was to help children realize that people see the world in a different way. This realization would lay the foundation, down the road, for the development of a sense of empathy. The achivement of the learning outcome, nevertheless, is a long-term process that comes with and builds upon rich life experience. 




On average, one child per class could figure out exactly what was expected from the activity. This was sufficient for the "news" to spread and have everyone make an effort to imagine the perspective of the one standing on the opposite side.

Responses:
Side A

Side B

Side A

Side B


  • In the next activity children have to imagine "What is the subject thinking/ saying?" Same image should be distributed to all children so that they can see how they differ in their thinking and perception.







  • Draw and describe activity - person A sees things through the eyes of B; subjective versus objective. Students get into pairs and sit in such a way so as to face each other. One is also facing the screen with the image. The second student is supposed to draw 


By “seeing” through the eyes of a friend and relying on his/her description of a picture in an attempt to replicate that same picture (seen by the friend only), children learn to
The Describe and Draw activity placed children in a situation where they had to rely on their friend as a trustworthy source in order to complete the task. Children learn to be accepting of other people’s views. 

Using Vladimir Kush's Departure of the Winged Ship







Young girl taking pears






For their final assessment, children are asked to devise a magic wand:




Students imagine they had a supernatural power and the magic wand could fulfill the things they wish for. Instinctively, their first wish was one for themselves ("I wish I could fly"; "I wish I could live in a castle"; "I wish I could touch the fire"). Kids were prompted to wish something for someone they know in person (the answer most closely aligned with the goal of the activity was: "I wish my mother was not sick"). One of the most striking responses that I decided to delve deeper into was: "I wish all of us have iPhone (Lilla)." Surprisingly, the argument for owning an iPhone was rather strong: "So that if we get lost, we can find our way back." 
Eventually, children were asked to wish something for someone they have never met before (again, the answer most closely aligned with the goal of the activity was: "I wish people didn't have to die"). Yet, the majority of wishes were for their friends and classmates.


Final Assessment:
When shown the images of children in need (begging children, children attending "school" in the middle of the desert next to a factory, children drinking dirty water, etc), students first came up with very positive scenarios of what is illustrated in the pictures and what might have happened. "In picture number 3 people are taking pictures." 


Gradually, the children figured out what might have happened and slowly started demonstrating empathy. When asked to make a wish for the children in the pictures, their responses were rather empathetic"I wish they have money" "I wish children who don't have a home, have one (Farrel)" "I wish they have clean clothes" "I wish they have a school (Vier, Ava)" "I wish they have clean water" "I wish the children could survive (Miro)" "I wish the children have money (Zachry)" "I wish the children have toys, books" "I wish the children have friends" The moment one of the students made a mistake and instead started the sentence with "I wish I..." the rest jumped on and interrupted her (with a bit of a disapproving, if not scolding, look), "I? It is for the kids. You don't wish for yourself!"
Naturally, this lesson opened up a discussion about the difference between WANT and NEED. They figured it out on their own that the things we NEED is all that matters, while what we WANT is simply desires and unnecessary whims. By examining the concept of 'Needs versus Wants' students learn that they can live without the things they so eagerly want to possess; that the things we want are sometimes different from the things we need.


With one of the classes though, the lesson took on a different route. When they voiced out a wish for a house and a pool, I asked them to express their wish in different words. My idea was to get them say "I need a home" and thus make the distinction. However, the task turned out to be more difficult than expected. Their immediate paraphrasing was: "I want a home." When asked for another version, they said: "I like a home." I decided to use the example of "milk" and asked students to find a way to convince me verbally to buy them milk (without using "want" and still start the sentence with "I...). This strategy also turned unsuccessful and I decided to use an example with a toy, instead, and asked them to justify their want: "I want a toy because I..." My hope was that someone would find a way to finish the sentence with "...need to play" but here are the responses that followed which speak for themselves: "...want to be rich," "...my friends have many toys" "love the toy"



Students make and reflect on their own list of wants and needs: 









The drawing activity was followed by a sharing.



At the end, the students are asked to rip off the Want part of the list and trash it. How does it feels? Is it liberating, frustrating?




What things give us a happy life? Do most things that make us happy cost money?



We made a plan on our target audience for the upcoming interview. We wanted to know what makes others happy. To get an objective result, we had to survey a range of people at different ages.



The oucome of the interview and the juxtaposition between what makes us happy and what makes others happy.





Is Rp good or bad?


The ones who sad Rp is good justified their choice by saying: "We need money to buy the things we need like a home"


What surprises you? "Why House?" There is a place to sleep. "Why TV?" Why cat? "If we are alone in the house" Why computer? "For playing games. "Why books? Books are not fun (Ebram, Arsya, Rasya)
What do you notice the older the people get? "The more reliant they are on technology for bringing up happiness" Why food? Why birthday party? Because adults are happy when they get older.

Following, I planned on showing the children images of students attending a public school in Jakarta. "Accidentally" at the beginning of the class I was approched by one of the students (Zachry) who asked me if we can watch a movie. The pictures made the kids appreciate the fact that the school provides computers and that they can enjoy the luxury of watching at pictures, seeing movies.
Before seeing the images, the children are asked to describe what they know about national schools and the conditions at such schools. Responses ranged from "Children at national schools wear only one dull uniform. They do not have shelves, pictures, toys, daily journals, pillows, bean bags, carpet, screen, computer, profile certificates. Their trash bins are not colorful and do not have pedals." to "There are no helpers, no playground, no main hall nor performances;" "They do not take off their shoes." Then, the children are shown the pictures of the actual students, attending the national school. Children were literally stupefied.

The session of image viewing was interrupted during one class by the request of another one of the students (Vier) to watch a movie. I asked Vier to justify his choice by specifying the kind of movie he wants to see and why. His response was the kind of action that proves the lessons by that time have been effective. He requested to see "a movie about the children who have nothing." Next lesson, thanks to Vier the kids watched the Disney adaptation of the Little Match Girl - a movie which truly resonates with the theme.

When our viewing session continued, the students needed to make inferences about how those kids spend their time at school and what they may be in need of based on the visual clues. We learned on how to make assumptions based on visual clues. "They do not have toys in there classroom THEREFORE they do not play games...with toys"
One of the students (Javi) suggested having a field trip to that school. Based on their observation, what action would they like to take? Are students ready to give away something of value to them?
Students suggested organizing a field trip to that school.



What can we do to make it prettier, cooler, more fun?

For their final assessment children have to reflect on an ayat from the Quran. Islam teaches us: "By no means shall you attain Al-Birr (piety, righteousness - here it means Allah's reward, i.e Paradise), unless you spend (in Allah's cause) of that which you love; and whatever of good you spend, Allah knows it all (3:92)"

Target: Real-life tips on how to be aware of their surroundings; how to have a direct experience of life; to always be looking, to notice everything in their immediate surrounding; notice the things going on around them; to look closer; to observe; 
Help students to identify questions appropriate for further investigation, and to develop a research strategy for finding answers.

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