Empathy, Compassion and Action to Improve our World

Today, while listening to the TED radio hour on NPR, the focus was on compassion.The stories demonstrated how media and social media make it so easy to criticize others in 140 characters or, as a general practice, via cable shows that encourage debate involving diatribe, interruption, and lack of respect for others. As I looked for the link, I realized that this must have been a rebroadcast from a year ago, yet, I have not witnessed any improvement.

With all of the shootings, anger, sadness, finger-pointing, and bigotry that seems to be escalating of late, I have been trying to focus on stories and examples of hope, the kind that The TED Radio Hour was trying to encourage. I show my advisees the TED talk by Matt Cutts that encourages us to try something new for 30 days. One can add or subtract a practice to make oneself feel better.

But,we must go beyond ourselves. Yesterday, I came across this simple and important image and despite looking and looking, I cannot find the original source. Nonetheless, I will share it and hope that if the author sees it, s/he will know how much I appreciate it.

This morning, I read this short blog post by Rusul Alrubail.  She posed two powerful questions:

*What if blogging can be used to shed light on important issues and amplify voices of individuals that need to be empowered?

*What if we can use our platform to give an opportunity for someone else to build theirs?

I don't know if "the universe is sending me a message" but I do know that I want to promote hope and not despair, to promote action not surrender. Perhaps, then, these various sources of media can provide hope if we look for it. Here is my 30 day challenge to anyone and everyone who will take it: 

For the next thirty days, make every effort to actively show compassion. Some possibilities:

* Be sure to look a service worker in the eye, ask how s/he is and truly care, and thank him or her;

* Think of those who have less than you and take action to offer some help via a good or service. At this time of year, we seem to focus on what we want for the holidays but, what do others need?;

* Be an upstander, not a bystander - when you see something hurtful and wrong, speak up, stand with those who need support;

* Make friends outside of your circle and truly listen to their stories;

* Respect others' differences, don't tolerate, respect;

*Take responsibility for your actions and growth.

I believe, I truly believe, we can make a positive difference...and here is my deeper hope, that with 30 days of practice, these acts will become infectious habits.

LISTEN - EMPATHIZE- STAND UP- ACT 

Flattening the Globe, One Voice at a Time

 

This year, in order to expand student understanding of others' lives and perspectives, I designed a course called Voices Across the Globe. Initially, the plan was to have regular communication with a couple of different classrooms around the globe. However, I realized that if I wanted students to develop empathy and respect for others, I should not expect other teachers to alter their curriculum to fit my vision. Moreover, a key skill that the students will need to have in the future is the ability to make global connections. I changed the course design to teach students how to make and develop those connections in concert with an issue that mattered to each individual student. During the term, students tried to make contact with a variety of people around the globe who had involvement and interest in their topics. They kept a process journal to log their contacts, reactions, questions, obstacles, and solutions for overcoming the obstacles. Their culminating assignment was to present their findings to their classmates. A sampling of the topics, students chose to explore included:

* the plight of orcas in captivity by Paige (grade 10)

* pop art around the globe by Eunhye (grade 12)

* global food security by Laura (grade 11)

* plastic pollution in the oceans by Elizabeth (grade 10)

*how people around the world respond to Alzheimer's by Rita (grade 12)

Some of the highlights of the presentations included:

*Global Water Crisis- Haley (grade 11) introduced us to a new device, The Drinkable Book , whose case serves as a water filter container. Each page provides safe water information and then is placed in the case as a water filter;

 

*Global student film-making- Brooke (grade 10) created this film with the combined voices of student film-makers around the world

* Spoken word poetry-Chanler (grade 11) inspired an internationally known slam poet to create a googledoc in which dozens of students from around the world have added their thoughts, poetic lines, and inspirations. Chanler developed her own "open poem" by starting with the line "I have yet to find an alias". Each author was invited to add a few lines. Here it is:

"The Poem"

I have yet to find an alias

(Chanler, 16, Baltimore, MD)

 

For years I have put on capes and masks;

A musical chair of identities

(Alex Dang, nationally known slam poet, Portland, OR)

 

But what will I be when the music stops?

(Carolyn, 15, Baltimore)

 

A scarecrow guarding a dead crop-

Someone pretending to be who they're not.

(Diane, 21, Canada)

 

Maybe I'll yank 'me' out of a top hat,

Or maybe I'll be hiding under wood shavings

Stuck, stuck, stuck at home

Until someone else lifts my plastic house away.

(Caroline, 21, Alabama)

 

This search is a series of illusions,

One after another,

Each more mysterious and playful than the next.

(Julia, 19, Albany, NY)

 

I have yet to find an alias; but the music leads me along my way.

Perhaps, the search is the source.

Perhaps, a disguise is all I need.

(Chanler, 16, Baltimore)

 

 

Their sharing and learning was a joy for all of us.

Creativity + Diverse Perspectives = Deeper Education

When one considers the word creative, it’s easy to think of the arts. After all, what is more creative than the expression one gives to her work with a musical instrument, including her voice, a photograph, sculpture, or painting, or the way an actress embodies on stage? In English, one can be creative through a work of prose or poetry.  Creativity can be found in every subject area. Thinking outside-of-the-box involves a creative approach to problem-solving. 

As teachers, creativity is found in the way we plan and execute our lessons. It is also found in the way we collaborate as faculty. One of the most enriching and creative means of professional development I have been engaged with occurred over the last two years. Through the facilitation of Renee Hawkins, Director of Instructional Technology at Garrison Forest School, we had three teams of faculty working with the organization Powerful Learning Practice. These teams were not organized around a single discipline or division but rather across them. By spending time together working on similar goals, we learned a great deal about each other, about the students we teach at each level, about our subject areas, and about our approaches. We pushed ourselves out of the “silos” of our teaching areas and united our collective energy, enthusiasm, intellect, and curiosity together toward learning that enriched all of us.

Then, we shared what we learned with our colleagues both formally in professional development days and informally through conversations and meetings times that we created to discuss new ideas.

We have embraced the kind of sharing that not only helps education grow deeper and broader, it helps create new products. In a story aired on National Public Radio in January celebrating the 30^th anniversary of the first Apple Mac products, the story described a design team which included a medical doctor, musician, “self-educated drop-out”, artist, archaeologist, as well as computer experts. As the current Apple CEO, Tim Cook noted, “We define diversity with a big D…. It's not just the traditional measures of diversity, which are incredibly important, but also diversity of thought.” (Morning Edition)

At Garrison Forest School, we embrace diversity in all respects, including a diversity of thought and experience. Each person’s experience, expertise, and perspective adds to our learning and growth. Opening ourselves to each other’s creative approaches and views enriches us.