"Empathy, Now!"

Did this get your attention? Demanding empathy certainly won’t create it. February is the month of love, sentiment, and friendship. Here at Montessori Beginnings, we emphasize friendship during the month through peer to peer work, literature and modeling behaviors essential to empathy and problem solving. We incorporate a “Peace Curriculum” as well to help children learn skills they will need as they grow toward adulthood.

Empathy is not innate. Children must be taught to feel a sense of compassion and caring for another. There are those with a natural interpersonal connection, but most little ones need some help. That’s where we all come in. It is so important to role play that concern or conflict resolution with another – to provide the environment for children to observe and imitate. Since young children’s brains are still in a primal state, they are more apt to act first – think later. Through observation, role playing, encouragement, literature and positive television viewing, children can obtain tools and skills essential for human interaction.

As owner and educator of the school for over six years, I have had the pleasure of interacting with many children. I have seen children from our toddler classrooms learn basic skills, take what they have observed and put it into practice once they are in the preschool classroom. It is heartening to see two or more children be able to settle a disagreement before it escalates. Often it is as simple as putting a hand up and saying “No,” or “No thank you”. If a child falls and cries, watching a peer go over, ask if they are ok, if they want help, pat the sad child’s arm or try to help them is a small victory.  Sometimes an adult might intervene or model positive behavior, but to see the child do it first is a joy to behold.

A joy? Yes. A joy because in this fast-paced, electronic world, physical interactions and tenderness can’t be mimicked by machine. To learn empathy and caring one must be shown it, then show it. The month of February seems a fitting time to remember and continue it throughout the year.

Peace, love and joy to all of you-

Kathy