Our Second Step social emotional program has a new focus this week as new skills for developing empathy are being introduced and practiced in the classroom. Experts say that empathy is a key ingredient in the development of prosocial behaviors and interpersonal problem-solving skills. Being able to identify understand and respond in a caring way to how someone is feeling provides the foundation for helpful and socially responsible behaviors, friendships, cooperation, coping, and conflict resolution, all of which help students succeed in school. Currently, first graders are learning to identify physical (face and body language) and situational (challenging work or play experiences) that help us understand others' feelings at a given time. Specific attention will be given to feelings such as happy, sad, disgusted, surprised, curious, and frustrated.
