“For teachers, empathy is an indispensable tool of instruction, and arguably, the key attribute (beyond knowledge of content, pedagogy, and student development) to being an effective teacher”. Paul Rogers
The above assertation by Rogers is absolutely true.
Before the last winter break in 2019,we had a first mid term test and I wasn’t truly pleased with the feedback I got from my learners despite the formative way of teaching. Everyone in my class is an automatic member of the kindness council. So, I told them that in the new year some of them will be evicted from the kindness council and others suspended from the council if they don’t improve greatly in their exams especially by having 80% and above in their exams.
So,we had another exam to end the term and failingly some of them tried their possible best to get 80% in their exams but couldn’t while some maintained what they have got.
When we resumed from the winter break, we had a council meeting to deliberate on what should be done to others who were not able to attain the desired target and to my greatest surprise, the pupils with 80% and above were kind enough to say that they should be given a second chance! Being a kind teacher too,I agreed with their resolution.
We had another summative exam 17th- 24th February, 2020 and to my greatest surprise, everyone was at their best and actually attained 80% and more and majority of those who were given a second chance performed more than those who had attained the targeted percentage.

I will like to quote Paul Rogers again: “There are many tools and pathways for the development of empathy associated with a variety of disciplines, e.g., through the language arts in reading, listening, researching and writing about people from other languages and cultures, through deepening our understanding of our interconnectedness with nature, through class and schoolwide dialogues and projects, and through technological tools, like Empatico , that connect classrooms across communities and countries”.

Empatico is a great tool indeed to spark empathy and kindness in our classrooms and also a drive to achieve great heights socially, mentally,emotionally and academically.Below is the graph that shows the improvement of my pupils.

Big thanks to Empatico for helping us spread kindness and empathy. Everyone is happy because no one will be suspended or evicted from the council!
Graph showing my learners’ scores before the kindness council resolutions.
The above graph shows my learners’ performance after the resolutions made by my kindness council.
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Published by Teacher Funke Akpan

I am an educator with over ten years teaching experience ranging from Kindergarten class to primary classes and I am a Certified ESL Tutor. I am also a Certified Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert. I am currently working with an international school here in Lagos, Nigeria as a year 4 class teacher. I am an EdPuzzle Coach, Google Digital Skills Ambassador, Black Girls Tech Summit Ambassador, Empatico Kindness Champion (2019-2020) and an Empatico Ambassador. She is the convener of a weekly online Sunday school class for children ( Jesus' Jewels). She is also the convener of TopFlighter Digital Citizenship Conference, Teachers' Hangout, Topflighter SEL Classes.

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