Empathy Interviews
Overview
A first step to supporting learners is truly understanding who they are. Empathy interviews are open-ended conversations in which an educator or practitioner asks questions and actively listens to learn about students' past experiences to best support learners. These conversations must be considered through a lens of cultural awareness, and are typically structured with a predetermined protocol to help guide educators' questioning in order to gain deeper insight into their student's experiences and perceptions. These interviews provide educators with an opportunity to understand their students' Identities beyond the classroom walls and how that intersects with their school experience. This method provides educators with insight into the challenges students face, their strengths, and their Sense of Belonging in school. When performed properly, empathy interviews should allow educators to truly empathize with their students, which can have profound results cognitively, behaviorally, and academically for learners.
Example: Use This Strategy in the Classroom
The example video below shows what an empathy interview can look like and the range of topics that help provide insight into who this young man is and how adults can support his interests and build connections with him.
Design It into Your Product
Additional Resources
Additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.
Factors Supported by this Strategy
More Culturally Responsive Strategies
Developing empathy in educators and in learners is an iterative process that requires taking the time to understand and honor others' perspectives.
Checking in with learners, or taking the time to talk with individual learners about their experiences or goals, is important for fostering a positive classroom environment.
Developing cultural awareness as an educator is an ongoing process that includes a recognition and appreciation for the full diversity of students and an understanding of how one's own Identity intersects with students' Identities.
Discussing race with students can range from conversations on cultural celebration (e.g., celebrating the importance of diversity) to developing critical consciousness (e.g., understanding the impact of social inequities like racism and how to dismantle it).
Equitable grading systems and practices reimagine how to communicate student progress and mastery through various methods that reduce subjectivity and increase opportunities to learn.
Family engagement happens when educators and schools collaborate with families to collectively support their child's learning in meaningful ways, both at school and at home.
Learning about students' cultures and connecting them to instructional practices helps foster a Sense of Belonging, increase positive student Identity development, and mitigate Stereotype Threat.
Culturally responsive texts include those that reflect different facets of students' identities, including race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic, and disability status, as well as the intersections of those identities.
Shadowing a student involves an educator, administrator, or designated adult observing a learner across different parts of their day to deepen their understanding of that learner's experience beyond their classroom.
Translanguaging is a flexible classroom practice enabling students to listen, speak, read, and write across their multiple languages or dialects, even if the teacher does not have formal knowledge of these additional languages.
