Instruct your participants to assemble into four groups according to their suit (hearts, clubs, diamonds, spades), but using only nonverbal communication. Ill find it myself. Ask for volunteers who would like to share their nice thing with the class, or volunteers who have given their neighbors permission to share their nice things for them. Nonverbal communication is just as important as verbal communication, if not more so! It has to be something that requires both partners to be present in the moment; think sailing, rock climbing, or dance lessons rather than seeing a movie or going out to dinner. This activity will give your students ample opportunity to build communication skills, practice accountability, and be kind to one another. There are four situations presented and space to write out your own assertive response to each. As you see your friend break down, you might start to feel lousy yourself, Dr. Zaki says. These four active listening exercises are a great way to boost your skills. In a TEDxMarin talk, he says that human empathy is actually a skill that can be developed rather than a fixed trait. Each team has three minutes to sort its pieces, determine which ones it needs to make complete cards, and develop a bargaining strategy. Talent. Youll probably find a significant difference in how youd treat your friend most likely with patience, generosity and forgivness versus how youd react to yourself perhaps with blame, harshness and self-criticism. The talkers job is to describe what he or she wants from a vacation without specifying a destination. All humans have some things in common. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Instead of just leaving an emoji on a friends Instagram post, why not directly text or call them? Place on a table (or put in a box) a packet of cards, each of which has a particular emotion typed on it. They can respond to just one sentence stem or several if they have more good things to say about the person. Here are the three ground rules for the playdate: Planning this date will not only make it easier to feel connected and closer to one another, but it also provides couples with an opportunity to communicate their love for one another through their actions. Make observations to help your child learn to notice and think about others' feelings. Engaging in this exercise daily will give the couple a chance to practice their communication skills on a regular basis, as well as their active listening skills. Once the scene is finished, have the groups switch roles. World Kindness Day is the perfect time to practice kindness, whether its toward family members, friends, coworkers, or strangers. 1. You can open up the Thank You Post every few days and read all the notes, or mail, to the class; You can take out a few notes and read them to the class every day (early in the day to encourage positivity in the classroom or late in the day to end class on a positive note); or. There are three stages of empathy: Cognitive empathy is being aware of the emotional state of another person. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/article/teaching-communication-skills. In this game, kids learn conflict-resolution skills by watching animations of realistic situations and seeing the effects of both good and bad choices. These are all potential products of a growth mindset. Ask the group if you think the results would have been better if they kept their eyes open or were allowed to ask questions. Framing your discussion in this manneras a statement of your feelings rather than a personal attack or blaming sessionis not only conducive to greater understanding, it also shows your partner that you care about having a constructive conversation and that your intentions are not to hurt them but to help them see from your perspective. Tell your group that this is a game that requires their full concentration. Tell the other group to think of something that they are passionate about and be prepared to tell their soon-to-be partner a meaningful or personally relevant story about this topic. This exercise, also from Becky Normans piece (2018), will show participants the emotional consequences of not listening andhopefullyencourage them to practice better listening skills. Your sandwich seems to have extra mayo, instead of no mayo. When theyve finished asking each other their questions, they should reverse them! This exercise is based on whats called deep canvassing, a strategy thats used by some activists where they have 10-15-minute, two-way, emotionally-engaged conversations with the people theyre trying to persuade. Couples should schedule a time for this game every day, but the good news is that it doesnt take longjust a few minutes will do. Share this observation with your group and lead a discussion on how body language can influence our understanding and our reactions. To unpack these types, imagine that youre having lunch with a friend when they get a phone call. These feelings have a purpose; they tell us that something is wrong or that something needs to be fixed, but they can also encourage us to do the wrong thing unless we learn how to keep a cool head. Write the total of 3 + 16 + 32 + 64 here: __________________. Another activity that can help students practice their writing while injecting a little positivity into the classroom is called Thank You Post. When they hear four claps, they should do a 360-degree turn on the spot. But what exactly is empathy? For added engagement, decide in advance on what the finished product is supposed to represent (e.g., a spiderweb, a tree). The Aggressive Alligator is a great tool from Kristina Marcelli-Sargent, for teaching assertiveness over-aggressiveness or passiveness. Instruct the other partner to stay quiet while the first partner talks, just listening instead of speaking. The Listening Without Words activity allows each partner to apply both verbal and nonverbal communication skills, as it involves switching between only speaking and only listening. You dont know who theyre talking to, but at some point, your friend starts to cry. The Role of Communication in a Relationship. The listeners job is to listen attentively to what is being said (and what is not being said) and to demonstrate their listening through their behavior. Empathy is one of the qualities that students value most in their teachers. Its important to start the scene with the actor doing an obvious task, like cleaning the house or rowing a boat. First, ask your kids how people might feel when they are bullied. You can brainstorm as a large group with open-ended questions like, What was something kind you saw someone do latelybig or small? Write down the students responses on a whiteboard or chalkboard and break them into two categories (big vs. small), but be sure to emphasize the importance of small acts of kindness in addition to grand gestures. Ask your kids if they think these are good or helpful things to do. This activity encourages students to be kind to one another and to be on the lookout for positive things to write down and slip into the Thank You Post. Dr. Zaki distinguishes between three types of empathy: cognitive empathy, emotional empathy, and empathic concern or compassion. Teaching communication skills. You can see whether your ability to empathize increases once you understand the other persons point of view; Think about the conversations that you have had with that person. Which negotiation strategies worked? The . You also might try to figure out what theyre feeling and why, and thats what wed call cognitive empathy. (2018). However, it is something that should be practiced regularly to ensure that it will stick with kids throughout childhood and into adulthood. Maybe, you might also feel a bit sad too. Prompts for discussion include: There are a further two parts to this exercise Practice Paraphrasing, and Reflecting Feelings. Decide on a specific time and place to put this exercise into practice. This involves instructing each student to select a character from a book they love (or one that you assign) and write a short book summary, or synopsis, focusing on this character and his or her experiences. Consciously check your interpretations of what the person is saying; You can begin by focusing on the person, and before moving forward, think about what would happen if you framed the conversation with the question, I just want to make sure I understand you. Responding to these prompts will encourage students to think of themselves as capable of empathizing with others, to think about how to practice empathy going forward, and to think critically about why empathy is so important. Read on to learn about how important communication is in a relationship and how you can work on improving your communication skills. If a couple wants to practice both their verbal and nonverbal communication, this is a great way to do it. Point out which one(s) resulted in a positive outcome and which one(s) should probably be avoided. The next time you and your partner are talking about something important or sensitive, put these tips and techniques into practice: It can be tough to be truly open with our emotions, but its vital for effective communication and a healthy relationship. Concentrate on the major problem, and dont get distracted by other minor problems. Aside from all of the activities and exercises mentioned already, there are a few other fun exercises that can help your students build empathy. If students have easy access to technology, a video can be substituted for the speech or write-up. I will try some of these with my kids. Indicate that you're listening by looking them in the eyes when they speak, nodding when you understand, and touching their hand or . HEPs expand their empathy by gaining direct experience of other people's lives, putting into practice the Native American proverb, Walk a mile in another man's moccasins before you criticize him .". Understanding and showing concern for others helps to build bridges, resolve conflicts, and deepen your interpersonal relationships. For kindergarteners to second-graders, Nancy Elizabeth Wallaces The Kindness Quilt is a good book to read and discuss. State the following actions as you engage in them: Put your hand to your mouth (but while saying this one, put your hand to your nose). The most important ingredient we put into any relationship is not what we say or what we do, but what we are. Once the timer goes off, the two should try to guess what the other person was thinking and feeling during the five minutes. If you want to make reusable play dough, mix together: After mixing these ingredients together, put over low heat and stir slowly. If youre looking for a resource thats rich with ideas, tips, and exercises that will help you become a better communicator and improve your relationships with your family, friends, and coworkers, youve come to the right place! Empathy Worksheets - Free! These situations are: Working through these scenarios as a family can help your kids see what healthy assertive communication looks like and show them that its okay to say no sometimes. Many people find this game uncomfortable at first, but with practice, it can greatly enhance your sense of intimacy with your partner. To get the discussion started, use questions like: If you want more from this exercise, try this follow-up activity. A manager can vary Dr. Carl Rogers' listening game by assigning employees to choose a partner and try this activity. After doing a few rounds of this, pass all of the papers back to their owners and give them a chance to read all of the nice things their peers have written about them. This exercise from the team at MindTools is a good way to help participants develop more empathy, consider other perspectives, build their communication and negotiation skills. B: WaitI found it! Give the students a goal to meet, such as performing three kind acts per week or noticing five kind acts per week. Then imagine a friend coming to you with that same problem and how youd respond to them. Its point is to show us that its possible to disagree with another person without disliking them or seeing them as the enemy. Teaching kindness in the classroom. These exercises, also from Defeating Divorce, are not just for married couples, but for anyone in a committed relationship. Next, have the first person to receive the message in each line report the original message and compare it to the final message received. Often when children don't express empathy it's not because they don't have it. Did their partners body language communicate how they felt about what was being said? When the timer goes off, the partners will have a chance to process what they experienced and discuss any thoughts or feelings that came up. Building empathy isnt necessarily about donating half of your salary to charity. As a matter of fact, some experts consider gamification as an essential method in teaching empathic attitudes in a playful way. It makes what can be a dry and boring subject more interesting and engaging. 5. The most important thing you can do to encourage empathy in your students is to use empathy yourself, whether with your students, other teachers, or even with fictional characters. This communication exercise is based on President Franklin D. Roosevelts fireside chats, in which he addressed the American people with the intention of making it feel as if he was speaking directly into their living room, carrying on a calm and rational discussion of important issues. Sharing the nice thing will put the students in a more positive frame of mind, and sharing something personal and positive with others will make them feel heard and affirmed by others. Teaching your students how to have a conversation. Have family members come up with answers to the following questions and any others they might think of in relation to how they felt when angry. Example Activity: Students receive a clue about a staff member. Try this exercise to work on this skill. They can find a new partner each week, every other week, every month, or any period of time that works for your class. This can be an opportunity to get creative and make a postbox that reflects the class, or you can have the class help you create the box. When you spoke to the other person face-to-face, did this improve your ability to communicate and understand the other persons feelings? For example, you might give them instructions like: As the exercise continues, it will get progressively harder; one misstep could mean that every following instruction is misinterpreted or misapplied. Show your students how to be empathetic towards others, even if you dont agree with that person or are not necessarily sympathetic towards them. Weve listed some of our favorites below. Wait until the end of the day (e.g., at the end of dinner, around bedtime) to put it into practice. Happiness and well-being are not a zero-sum situation.. According to researchers Peterson and Green (2009), family communication is so important because: it enables members to express their needs, wants, and concerns to each other. There are many ways to introduce, discuss, and encourage empathy in the classroom, including tackling empathy directly by including it in the curriculum (Crowley & Saide, 2016). Likewise, imagine how different classrooms, offices, organizations, and homes around the world might be if more adults stopped to consider how they might demonstrate more empathy and kindness in their regular interactions. As they talk, they should focus on trying to understand the other persons feelings. At the end of the thirty-day marathon, kids could read a book about kindness. As partners continue to practice this exercise on a regular basis, they will find that their communication style grows more positive with less effort, and their relationship will flourish (Tasker, n.d.). Next, have each family member think of a time when they were relaxed and having a good time and discuss these questions: How did your body feel during this period of time? Now youve finished reading all the instructions, obey only 1, 2, 20 & 21. Listen to what your partner tells you and discuss what, if any, concrete steps you can take based on the information youve both shared. To hit the point home, refer to these discussion points and questions: Another useful exercise from the Training Course Material website is called Guess the Emotion. As you might expect, it involves acting out and guessing emotions. Bring the other group back in, put all the participants into pairs, and tell them to get started. If they have trouble coming up with answers, talk about how people might feel angry, scared, sad, upset, embarrassed, or confused. Theres nothing like traveling with someone to work on your communication skills! We often have trouble sharing our feelings, even (or especially) with those we are closest to. Share positive feelings with your partner, such as what you appreciate and admire about them, and how important they are to you. Although weve mostly focused on verbal communication and communications via body language, facial expressions, and touch, there is another form that we havent mentioned: written communication. Did everyone think the non-verbal message meant the same thing? Social Skills Coaching: 2 Best Activities. Each partner will ask the other to share their high of the day or the best part of their day. These four group exercises are a great introduction to communication skill-building as a family. The handout offers the following description of empathy: Empathy is understanding and caring about what other people are feeling. . What do you want to incorporate in future meetings? Inform your participants that they must keep their eyes and mouths closed as they follow instructions; they are not allowed to look at the paper or ask any clarifying questions. We simply wont be able to create and sustain the foundation necessary for effective interdependence. There are many strategies for teaching kindnessfar too many to include them all herebut below are six solid strategies to start with (Proud to be Primary, 2017). Custodian Appreciation: Have your students write letters and put up signs showing their appreciation for the people who keep the school clean and tidy. Given the nature of the silent appreciation activity, it will only be suitable for classes where everyone has at least some writing abilityso it likely wont work for a classroom of preschoolers. Norman, B. The aggressive alligator: Fun ways to teach assertiveness to children. Exercise #4: Check in with your emotions. Tell your participants that you will be giving them step-by-step instructions on how to fold their piece of paper into an origami shape. Below is a list of some worksheets and exercises that work well for students and adults. 10 fun ways to celebrate World Kindness Day. And if youre a good friend, you probably care about what theyre going through and wish for them to feel better, and wed call that empathic concern or compassion.. Collect the handouts and pass them out once again, randomly this time. As one partner is sharing, the other should practice active listening techniques, conveying their empathy and understanding to their partner. Once participants have all gathered into one of the four groups, have them line up according to their rank (Ace is the lowest, King is the highest); again, they cannot speak or show their cards to anyone during this part of the exercise. Another valuable activity to encourage good listening skills and empathy is the Group Circle. B: Which one? Intelligence. Situation: Youve just received your food at a restaurant, and it was prepared incorrectly. Eventually, your students may pick up on what youre doing and start making their own Heres To toasts. Once the Speaker has finished, they pause. It has to be something for just the couple to do and they cannot include the kids or discuss mundane things like chores or bills. Draw a square, measuring 5 inches on each side. By filling out your name and email address below. Watch about 5 to 7 minutes of the program with the volume off. By calling kindness out, were more likely to make it magnetic through that social force., Thu-Huong Ha is a freelance writer. Note: Do not do this exercise with someone who harms or denigrates you or the group you belong to. For ideas on how to incorporate classroom lessons on kindness into your teaching, the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation has several useful lesson plans and curriculums targeted toward a range of different year and age groups on their website. A quick Google search will reveal dozens, if not hundreds, of kindness activities for children and students. Which didnt? Continue until there is one clear winner. How well did they listen? What are your favorite ways to work on communicating with your spouse? Learn to understand each other, not to defeat each other. Once they have a chance to guess, they should discuss these things that bubbled to the surface as they maintained eye contact.
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