From Judgment to Empathy: Cultivating Curious Mindsets

• In Event: "Showing Up" for Students, Schools, and the Profession: Critical Practitioner Inquiry in Justice-Centered Teacher Education

Abstract

As I began my inquiry project in the summer of 2022, I realized that what was moving me as a teacher was the goal of making my students, so many of whom will grow up to have much social and economic power, be a little more curious about the world and a little more empathetic. This motivation was directly connected to my foundations as a social justice-oriented educator. I believe empathy and "seek[ing] to empathize with others" is a way to "acknowledge the fact that the ways in which we are privileged (or marginalized) in public life inevitably influence how we interpret the experience of others" that will affect our actions and life choices (Mirra, 2018, pp. 7-8). I asked myself: How could I help get them there? How could I help students see, as Mirra (2018) writes, “that my existence is wrapped up in yours, as your freedom is wrapped up in mine” (p. 10)? How could I move us toward an orientation that is curious about "the experience of others" instead of judgemental?
Thus, my research question was: how can I cultivate a curious mindset that fosters empathy in my English students? I surveyed broader literature on curiosity, transformative teaching practices, question-asking, and empathy to answer this question. Then I chose data collection methods, focusing on observation notes, student work, interview data, and my teacher journal.
Considering all the literature, I adjusted my practice within three main categories: community building, empathy exercises, and listening and questioning. I spent last school year making moves within those categories and collecting data, trying to see trends in curiosity, listening, questioning, and moments of empathy.
My project produced three main findings: First, students grew confidence as nimble question-askers. They started asking more and more questions and reflecting that they felt they were better at asking questions. Within that, my sub-finding is that students also became more comfortable asking questions they cannot always answer, pointing to curiosity about other lived experiences and increasing opportunities to grow empathy for others. Second, perspective-taking activities help students cultivate curiosity about other people and empathy for others. And third, students can develop curiosity in service of empathy and be vulnerable within loving and trusting learning communities. The emphasis on community building in my classroom helped students feel a sense of belonging, allowing them to grow as nimble question-askers who ask questions they might never be able to answer and listen to their peers.
My research first supported the literature regarding empathy and curiosity, combining ideas from different elements of research on both topics together to create curiosity in service of empathy. Further, I realized that we needed to build a community where we could be curious and question while knowing we were loved and supported to do this work. Our learning, curiosity, and fostering of empathy were all aided by the positive relationships, love, and trust we built.

Author

• Devina Bhalla, Gilman School