“I feel I can say what I want to, without any fear of embarrassment, I sometimes can’t do it in other classes,” shared one of the students when asked about what made an MBA class more fun for them. When asked to elaborate, they said that in classes where they did not have to fear asking the ‘right questions’ or making the ‘right points,’ they enjoyed the sessions more. They felt safe enough to ask pertinent questions and make observations that may not be accurate but did add value.
Amy Edmondson (1999) spoke about psychological safety as feeling safe in taking risks, speaking up, showing dissent, or expressing concerns without fear of negative repercussions. Psychological safety in the classroom would then mean, as an educator, making it so that the student/learner feels comfortable showing up as they are, expressing views that are different from their peers and/or educator, adding value to the class discussion without fearing humiliation or discomfiture. And creating such a space comes from a space of empathy. As educators, it is our responsibility to show empathy and compassion in the classroom to our students, to understand that all of them would have different learning paces, learning styles, varied backgrounds, and therefore different reactions to what and how we facilitate the sessions. Empathy also means understanding that intentional inclusion is very important in the classroom. For example, in a virtual class with learners from different time zones, the instructor could greet everyone with a time-neutral greeting such as ‘hello’ or ‘welcome’ rather than “good morning’ or ‘good evening.’ Or using audio-visual aids and/or learning materials that are accessible by everyone rather than by only select groups of participants.
I recently attended a seminar where the guest speaker checked the way someone’s name was pronounced before addressing them directly since they were not familiar with the name. I have seen many times people cringe a little when someone mispronounces their name. Empathy from an educator can also mean checking in with students on their workloads or their bandwidth during classes, especially when you are taking sessions post lunch or late in the evening or sometimes, even early mornings. I understand we expect all our students to always show up on time, be well-prepared, and give in their 100% to each class. We also know that reality is not that simple, and sometimes, the hangover of an assignment for subject X may spill over to the preparation for subject Y, or students may have been up all night preparing for a quiz for course A and therefore skipped the pre-read, of course, B. Sometimes, it is fine to let that go while stressing that it would be an exception and not a norm. Empathy in the classroom helps build a strong bond between the educators and the learners when we listen actively, we try to understand their challenges, we show respect to them as adults, and trust that it is not personal. Encouraging dissent while stressing respect and kindness encourages collaboration and promotes a healthier learning environment.
Students can show empathy to their peers by making them feel safe to express their opinions and not make fun of their views. Respect and kindness towards peers also show up as using inclusive language, making everyone feel that they belong, not judging someone for being different from the majority, and helping each other out. For example, in a recent class of postgraduate students, a participant shared their views on a case discussion based on their previous work experience. Another student was quick to respond with a contrary view, but they ended with, “My views are based on my experience and a different context than (the other participant), but I would still like to discuss. It is not about being right or having a singular view, the context and perception matter, too…” And we went on to discuss the case further, but this was a functional display of disagreement. Standing up for your peers when someone puts them down or gossips about them, not engaging in bullying someone, checking with a peer on how they are doing in times of distress, or not making fun of anyone’s learning pace or providing someone space to express their views if they are too shy can all be ways in which students can show empathy towards their peers. Respecting the efforts of a faculty in the class and trying to keep discussions functional without taking them personally or expressing anger or disagreement with respect is how students can be empathetic with the faculty members as well. Making someone feel small or disrespected just because you can is not becoming of anyone, whatever role they occupy.
Empathy makes for a healthier, more positive, more productive environment where learning, engagement, and efficiency would thrive. In a world that is so easily offended, so easily divided, empathy can go a long way in creating moments of peace and comfort. Empathy can become a beautiful connecting thread between the students and the educators, transforming the academic experience into something more fulfilling, warm, and enriching.
Reference
Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behaviour in work teams. Administrative science quarterly, 44(2), 350-383.