Teaching Empathy

Bullied as a young woman, Yalda Modabber recognized the value of teaching empathy to children in the classroom, starting in preschool. As it turns out, this approach is about much more that classroom harmony or protecting the feelings of certain students. A recent study from Duke and Penn State followed over 750 people for 20 years and found those who were able to share and help other children in kindergarten were more likely to graduate from high school and have full-time jobs.

Human have conflicting impulses, some lead us toward selfish behavior, others toward altruism. It is easy for the selfish to win out. But if we cultivate our empathetic capacities, and are taught to practice compassionate behaviors in social setting from a young age, clinical studies prove, again and again, we will will have better lives.

http://www.dailygood.org/story/1333/why-we-should-teach-empathy-to-preschoolers-shuka-kalantari/