Compassion and Empathy in Educational Contexts

This book explores the importance of compassion and empathy within educational contexts. While compassion and empathy are widely recognised as key to living a happy and healthy life, there is little written about how these qualities can be taught to children and young people, or how teachers can model these traits in their own practice. This book shares several models of compassion and empathy that can be implemented in schooling contexts, also examining how these qualities are presented in children’s picture books, films and games. The editors and contributors share personal insights and practical approaches to improve both awareness and use of compassionate and empathetic approaches to others. This book will be of interest and value to all those interested in promoting compassion and empathy within education.

SECTION I. Compassion and empathy can be learnt.- Chapter 1. Theorising compassion and empathy in educational contexts: What are compassion and empathy and why are they important?; Georgina Barton.- Chapter 2. Empathy as special form of motor skill that can be trained; Justin H.G. Williams.- Chapter 3. "But it wouldn't be me": Exploring empathy and compassion for self and others through creative processes; Melissa Cain.- SECTION II. The importance of compassion and empathy for children and young people.- Chapter 4. Towards a test driven early childhood education: Alternative practices to testing children; Susanne Garvis, Heidi Harju-Luukkainen and Tina Yngvession.- Chapter 5. Compassion in children's peer cultures; Jaakko Hilppo¨, Antti Rajala, and Lasse Lipponen.- Chapter 6. Fostering students' psychological well-being amidst the threat of bullying: Emotional intelligence may hold the key; Neha Kulkarni and Sairaj M. Patki.- SECTION III. Compassion and empathy in the curriculum.-Chapter 7. When caring counts: Fostering empathy and compassion through the Arts using animation; Susan Chapman.- Chapter 8. Peace, Conflict and Empathy: Leveraging violent games for global good; Paul Darvasi.- Chapter 9. Exploring how quality children's literature can enhance compassion and empathy in the classroom context; Georgina Barton, Margaret Baguley, Martin Kerby and Abbey Macdonald.- SECTION IV. Compassion and empathy for teachers.- Chapter 10. Understanding teachers' resilience through compassion and empathy in Hong King; Lai Kuen Brenda Lo and Richard G. Bagnall.- Chapter 11. Early Childhood Education: From maternal care to social compassion; Geoff Taggart.- Chapter 12. Understanding Ethics of care; Lisa Uusimaki and Susanne Garvis.- SECTION V. Compassion and empathy in different educational contexts.- Chapter 13. Empathy and the landscape of conflict; Margaret Baguley and Martin Kerby.- Chapter 14. Pedagogies of empathy-building: Canadian and Azorean perspectives on film-viewing in higher education; Amélie Lemieux, Casey Burkholder and Josélia Mafalda