#5thchat is for people interested in chatting about topics in education, especially as they relate to Grade 5. The goal is to connect people who enjoy learning & sharing, plus supporting & creating partnerships worldwide!
Welcome to #5thchat I am really excited to chat with you about Emapthy and Student-Led Service!
Please let us know you are here. Share your name and where you are joining us from!
Hi everyone! I am Laura Holtkamp, tonight's moderator, joining you all from Cincinnati. I'll be switching to a new twitter handle next school year @MrsHoltkamp. I'll be taking on a new role as media specialist next year too. #5thchat
A1: Being able to envision yourself in someone else's shoes and treat them as you'd wish to be treated. It goes beyond being compassionate and kind to really trying to understand the other person's feelings. #5thchat
A2: I try to encourage empathy by asking students to put themselves in others' shoes and act in a way they would want others to act toward them--the Golden Rule baby! :) #5thchat
A2: We've blended special ed and general ed into small classes. Our schoolwide goals are designed to create empathetic citizens. Social currics, etc. Ss see it in the design of the shool. #5thchat
A2: Literature is often a good place to start, as ss can become deeply attached to characters & often get to look through their eyes. From there we can shift to how do you think ___ is feeling? How would you feel in that situation? How can we help or show we understand? #5thchat
A2: Empathy is encouraged by a lot of different things. Here are a few: accepting a variety of feelings as healthy & understandable, listening to student stories, teaching students to talk out their conflicts, & reading books with empathetic characters. #5thchat
A2: Lesson design, differentiation, individualization, sensory friendly rooms, therapies... All of this adds up in the eyes of Ss. They know when a school is thinking of their needs and follow suit. #5thchat
A5: My 4th and 5th graders were leaders in their IEP meetings this year. They presented their strengths, weaknesses, interests, and goals to the team. #5thchat
A4: My Ss this year created out kindness project #theroadtokindness they created videos and websites. They gave up their VDay party to help children who were fighting battles of their own https://t.co/4JGPCzunx8#5thchat
A4: At my school, we have student council with a rep from each home base. They have a lot of say as to the programs/events in which the school participates. #5thchat
A3: When I asked a nonverbal Ss who recently began using a keyboard to communicate how he was able to jump into our math he said, "I was listening". #5thchat
A4 it really depends on what Ss are doing. Sometimes they lead Morning Meeting, sometimes Book Club, projects...Ss find what fits their voice/choice and take lead. Ss seem to know selves well and each allow for each other to take turns to shine #5thchat
A4: Projects, maker sessions, art, engineering, cooking, sports. With the right school climate, Ss who rise to the top and stand out handle the power correctly & others are willing to follow. #5thchat
A4: Some enter 5th grade already being natural leaders, but some have the right personality & skills, but they need someone (a teacher, coach, classmate...) to point them out & give them a chance. When students nominate classroom leaders, it helps! #5thchat
A5 My favorite student led project took place in 2013. They created a Loveland to Loveland project to help flood victims in Colorado. It was amazing to be their guide on the side! https://t.co/DTgMv02R0q#5thchat
Awesome! I love it; perfect example of why we should always presume competence. Our ss can do so much given the right supports and opportunities! #5thchat
A:5 After reading Long Walk to Water, my students wanted to raise money for a well in South Sudan. They held many fundraisers, one of which was a school dance. We now have a well with our school's name on it in South Sudan, bringing clean water to many #5thchat
A5 mine would probably be their Passion Project where they got to pick their passion to write about then do whatever kind of presentation format they wanted to showcase it #5thchat
A5: This yr Genius times (cooking) absorbed much of the class. Unlikely experts were revealed. In fact, they inspired my summer session elective! #5thchat
A5: Depends on the ss- powerpoints, posters, essays, 3D models, etc. on various topics. In IEP meetings ss presenting/sharing with team. I would really like to do more ss led projects and implement genius hour..#5thchat
A5: This yr Genius times (cooking) absorbed much of the class. Unlikely experts were revealed. In fact, they inspired my summer session elective! #5thchat
A5: My students became interested in our local birds & trees after a @MysterySci lesson making bird feeder prototypes. They not only filled actual bird feeders for them, but also planted natives flowers to attract insects. We also grew trees from seeds. #5thchat
A6: I would like to include empathy based projects--maybe that should be a goal of mine for this year. Our school is very active with Relay for Life but this is normally separate from any scholastic projects #5thchat
A6 I think school & district focus on empathy based projects. Starting off daily w/@responsiveclass & Morning Meeting then student council plans events/collections throughout yr to help those in need-all help teach/foster empathy thru lessons even outside of classroom #5thchat
A6: Yes, our school does several throughout the year. Our two biggest are Jump Rope for Heart and March of Dimes. We raise $ and awareness. Ss learn about the charities and how they can help. #5thchat
Some newer Ss had trouble accepting other's differences this year. It worked out. One of my Ss response was to do a film on Inclusion. We will finish it next year. #5thchat
A7 I have new ideas just from this chat! I hope to empower students in my learning commons to design and lead with empathy through reading, writing, and investigating STEM. #5thchat
A7: I think really focusing on characters in our novels, as others have pointed out tonight, and allowing the students to think of projects than help people with similar challenges. #5thchat
A6: We did sensory bottles and care packages and sent to a Houston autism group last year. We also sent school supplies. I do a Doing Good project with App building based on communcation boards. Honestly, just showing up every day brings this to the forefront for us. #5thchat
I was very impressed with their very natural, almost automatic love & empathy for wildlife. I think for some kids who have had hard lives, this might be a safer place for them to feel empathy. #5thchat
A7 I think Ss need to always remember we are all different & to celebrate differences-accept each other for who we are. We all have things we are better at, can offer, etc- when in groups we have strengths to bring that others might not so be innovative together! #5thchat
A7: I would love to train peer counselors and get a buddy bench. I would love have ss brainstorm their own empathy projects. I bet they would come up with some great ideas! #5thchat
A7: I'd like to take my middles into our elem programs as coding coaches more often (I do this a few times a year). I want my classes to plan & cook lunch for the school inlcuding those with various allergies & texture/scent aversions. #5thchat
A6: Sorry, @holtkala, I’ve fallen behind! My cell is slow to refresh. At my school empathy projects seem to come up, when crisis occur, but it’s not planned. I’d love it if my school was more intentional about community projects. #5thchat
A8: I foresee a beautiful world--we currently have so many who only think of themselves, their feelings, etc. A new generation where it's not all about 'me' would be so peaceful! #5thchat
A8: Ss will have a higher emotional IQ and be more successful in all areas of their life. All ss will feel valued, creating an environment in which they are willing to take risks and really grow. #5thchat
