Demonstrating Care and Empathy for Black Students in the Midst of a Global Pandemic

• In Event: Examining the Bright Spots: Successful Strategies for Promoting Black Student Success in K–12 Schools

Abstract

Purpose. Black youth across the country were uniquely impacted by a double pandemic, the devastating effects of the Coronavirus, and the images of Black folks losing their lives to police during 2020. This study examined the experiences of Black students during remote learning and racism, as well as how teachers demonstrated care and empathy for Black students during remote learning.

Remote learning is likely to remain a staple in education in some form for the foreseeable future Schwartz, et. al (2020) conducted one of the first education Coronavirus related studies, and one of their findings was the permanence of remote learning. It is imperative that educators begin to develop strategies, practices, and policies that recognize the whole student while learning occurs from a distance. What they did not examine was how the effects of the pandemic, coupled with the racial realities of 2020 affected Black youth.

Theoretical Framework. To examine how teachers responded to Black youth in the midst of a double pandemic, Warren’s (2013) empathy framework was used to examine whether or not teachers modified their pedagogical practices and classroom practices and policies to demonstrate empathy for students to improve their social and academic outcomes. Warren’s empathy framework is beneficial because its overarching goal is to develop “replicable strategies” that will help diverse student groups thrive in school.

Methods. To examine how teachers demonstrated empathy for Black students during the double pandemic, a qualitative case study, using interviews with 5 school personnel and 9 Black students a single elementary school site was conducted. The primary goal and purpose of the interviews were to examine how various members of the school community adapted to the specific needs of Black students during the Covid-19 pandemic and remote instruction.

Findings. The findings yielded 4 main themes 1) empathic concern/perspective taking: educators taking the time to understanding the lived experiences, values, and culture of their students, 2) application of new knowledge: educators utilizing student information to improve practices and policy, 3) student feedback: student academic and nonacademic outcomes in response to educator actions and 4) Covid-19: this category encompasses the impact of the Coronavirus on student learning.

Significance. There is scant research that discusses the utility of empathy in remote learning environments for Black youth in light of the double pandemic. This study seeks to contribute to the literature on creating empathic environments in schools that encourage the wellness and success of Black students. Moreover, this work is seeking to examine how Black students have experienced remote learning, the racial reckoning, and Covid-19.

References

Schwartz, H.L., Grant, D., Dilberti, M., Hunter, G.P., H. Messan Setodji, C. (2020). Remote
learning is here to stay. Results from the first American school district panel survey. Rand Corporation. Los Angeles, CA.

Warren, C. A. (2013). The utility of empathy for White female teachers’ culturally responsive
interactions with Black male students. Interdisciplinary Journal of Teaching and Learning Volume 3, Number 3,175-200

Author

• Jaleel Rashaad Howard, University of California - Los Angeles