imagine it’s your last day at class or final exams and instead of hunkering
final exams and instead of hunkering
final exams and instead of hunkering down waiting for that final exam to be
down waiting for that final exam to be
down waiting for that final exam to be handed out instead you’re bringing in
handed out instead you’re bringing in
handed out instead you’re bringing in food hot cooked food and pastries and
food hot cooked food and pastries and
food hot cooked food and pastries and you’re huddled in a corner with your
you’re huddled in a corner with your
you’re huddled in a corner with your cohort discussing that final bit of
cohort discussing that final bit of
cohort discussing that final bit of preparation before you present your
preparation before you present your
preparation before you present your first ever designed website or you’re
first ever designed website or you’re
first ever designed website or you’re just excited because you’re about ready
just excited because you’re about ready
just excited because you’re about ready to tell people about your insights about
to tell people about your insights about
to tell people about your insights about how your intersections intersect with
how your intersections intersect with
how your intersections intersect with the lives of marginalized people you’re
the lives of marginalized people you’re
the lives of marginalized people you’re about to report on this is not the same
about to report on this is not the same
about to report on this is not the same class I had 15 weeks ago you know who
class I had 15 weeks ago you know who
class I had 15 weeks ago you know who they are you might even be them you know
they are you might even be them you know
they are you might even be them you know young bold frightened terrified of not
young bold frightened terrified of not
young bold frightened terrified of not knowing going from middle school to high
knowing going from middle school to high
knowing going from middle school to high school high school to college
school high school to college
school high school to college you might recognize them now I have been
you might recognize them now I have been
you might recognize them now I have been a professor in the English department at
a professor in the English department at
a professor in the English department at a community college in Baltimore
a community college in Baltimore
a community college in Baltimore Maryland for the past 15 years and for
Maryland for the past 15 years and for
Maryland for the past 15 years and for 10 of those years I’ve been
10 of those years I’ve been
10 of those years I’ve been incorporating contemplative pedagogy or
incorporating contemplative pedagogy or
incorporating contemplative pedagogy or mindfulness into my classes so what is
mindfulness into my classes so what is
mindfulness into my classes so what is mindfulness so the best definition is
mindfulness so the best definition is
mindfulness so the best definition is once write by Jon kabat-zinn which is
once write by Jon kabat-zinn which is
once write by Jon kabat-zinn which is paying attention in a certain way on
paying attention in a certain way on
paying attention in a certain way on purpose without judgment so in my class
purpose without judgment so in my class
purpose without judgment so in my class we use things like silence art music
we use things like silence art music
we use things like silence art music dance photography even the holding
dance photography even the holding
dance photography even the holding practice whatever that is but could I
practice whatever that is but could I
practice whatever that is but could I for the past year
for the past year
for the past year incorporate empathy into the class
empathy empathy is defined as being
empathy empathy is defined as being present with yourself or another person
present with yourself or another person
present with yourself or another person without changing what they believe
without changing what they believe
without changing what they believe without changing anything about what
without changing anything about what
without changing anything about what they believe so could I incorporate
they believe so could I incorporate
they believe so could I incorporate empathy into my class so right now what
empathy into my class so right now what
empathy into my class so right now what I’m gonna do is I’m gonna remove myself
I’m gonna do is I’m gonna remove myself
I’m gonna do is I’m gonna remove myself from this and I’m going to invite my
from this and I’m going to invite my
from this and I’m going to invite my students in because this is their story
students in because this is their story
students in because this is their story not mine and what we’re going to do is
not mine and what we’re going to do is
not mine and what we’re going to do is together find out about what they did so
together find out about what they did so
together find out about what they did so you’ll be joining them or will be also
you’ll be joining them or will be also
you’ll be joining them or will be also looking at photos of their work so let
looking at photos of their work so let
looking at photos of their work so let me describe the first day of class so
me describe the first day of class so
me describe the first day of class so the first thing that class is very
the first thing that class is very
the first thing that class is very simple we are in a circle and I ask my
simple we are in a circle and I ask my
simple we are in a circle and I ask my students to just acknowledge their
students to just acknowledge their
students to just acknowledge their existence that’s all they’re supposed to
existence that’s all they’re supposed to
existence that’s all they’re supposed to do so we do something called the ICU
do so we do something called the ICU
do so we do something called the ICU practice very simple practice and we’re
practice very simple practice and we’re
practice very simple practice and we’re going to all do that here today okay so
going to all do that here today okay so
going to all do that here today okay so it’s interactive so what we’re going to
it’s interactive so what we’re going to
it’s interactive so what we’re going to do is let me explain this to you is that
do is let me explain this to you is that
do is let me explain this to you is that we’re going to look until we see someone
we’re going to look until we see someone
we’re going to look until we see someone and we’re going to make eye contact and
and we’re going to make eye contact and
and we’re going to make eye contact and we’re going to acknowledge their
we’re going to acknowledge their
we’re going to acknowledge their existence and then we’re going to say to
existence and then we’re going to say to
existence and then we’re going to say to them audibly I see and then we’re going
them audibly I see and then we’re going
them audibly I see and then we’re going to look around the room again and we’re
to look around the room again and we’re
to look around the room again and we’re going to find someone else and we’re
going to find someone else and we’re
going to find someone else and we’re going to make eye contact with them
going to make eye contact with them
going to make eye contact with them acknowledge their existence and say I
acknowledge their existence and say I
acknowledge their existence and say I see okay so you understand what we’re
see okay so you understand what we’re
see okay so you understand what we’re going to do got the instructions okay so
going to do got the instructions okay so
going to do got the instructions okay so what we’re going to do is look around
what we’re going to do is look around
what we’re going to do is look around the room and we’re going to do this
the room and we’re going to do this
the room and we’re going to do this until I tell you to stop and just look
until I tell you to stop and just look
until I tell you to stop and just look at someone and say I see you go
all right thank you I love the sound of
all right thank you I love the sound of this I mean you know is a little bit of
this I mean you know is a little bit of
this I mean you know is a little bit of discomfort and then all of a sudden okay
discomfort and then all of a sudden okay
discomfort and then all of a sudden okay it’s okay so anyway this is what we do
it’s okay so anyway this is what we do
it’s okay so anyway this is what we do in my class and then we begin so the
in my class and then we begin so the
in my class and then we begin so the first class and the first essay is
first class and the first essay is
first class and the first essay is really about community what is community
really about community what is community
really about community what is community so I say to my students all right this
so I say to my students all right this
so I say to my students all right this is what we’re going to do but before we
is what we’re going to do but before we
is what we’re going to do but before we get started I want to ask you a simple
get started I want to ask you a simple
get started I want to ask you a simple question
question
question how many of you know your neighbors and
how many of you know your neighbors and
how many of you know your neighbors and about 1/4 of the hands go out I mean
about 1/4 of the hands go out I mean
about 1/4 of the hands go out I mean only 1/4 of the hands go up and I said
only 1/4 of the hands go up and I said
only 1/4 of the hands go up and I said ok let’s let’s think about this so what
ok let’s let’s think about this so what
ok let’s let’s think about this so what we’re going to do is we’re going to go
we’re going to do is we’re going to go
we’re going to do is we’re going to go into our communities with our cellphones
into our communities with our cellphones
into our communities with our cellphones and we’re going to go and we’re going to
and we’re going to go and we’re going to
and we’re going to go and we’re going to take photographs of our community so we
take photographs of our community so we
take photographs of our community so we go in and I said but here’s the deal
go in and I said but here’s the deal
go in and I said but here’s the deal they’re gonna be 4 questions and you
they’re gonna be 4 questions and you
they’re gonna be 4 questions and you have to answer these four questions one
have to answer these four questions one
have to answer these four questions one picture for each question and so once
picture for each question and so once
picture for each question and so once you find that image you’re going to look
you find that image you’re going to look
you find that image you’re going to look you’re gonna look at it from far you’re
you’re gonna look at it from far you’re
you’re gonna look at it from far you’re gonna look at it up close you’re gonna
gonna look at it up close you’re gonna
gonna look at it up close you’re gonna look at it from all different angles and
look at it from all different angles and
look at it from all different angles and when you see the shot take it this is
when you see the shot take it this is
when you see the shot take it this is what the students saw and the four
what the students saw and the four
what the students saw and the four questions were what is beautiful in my
questions were what is beautiful in my
questions were what is beautiful in my community what is difficult in my
community what is difficult in my
community what is difficult in my community what needs to change in my
community what needs to change in my
community what needs to change in my community and what has shaped me in my
community and what has shaped me in my
community and what has shaped me in my community so now that we have sort of
community so now that we have sort of
community so now that we have sort of since spent some time exploring and we
since spent some time exploring and we
since spent some time exploring and we look at all of our photos and
look at all of our photos and
look at all of our photos and everybody’s quite happy we then decide
everybody’s quite happy we then decide
everybody’s quite happy we then decide well let’s talk about going into our
well let’s talk about going into our
well let’s talk about going into our community and making some changes and
community and making some changes and
community and making some changes and the class totally melts down they’re
the class totally melts down they’re
the class totally melts down they’re like what what are we gonna do and I
like what what are we gonna do and I
like what what are we gonna do and I said we’re going to go into our
said we’re going to go into our
said we’re going to go into our community no way and I said everybody
community no way and I said everybody
community no way and I said everybody take a minute take a breath so now I’m
take a minute take a breath so now I’m
take a minute take a breath so now I’m going to teach you that practice
going to teach you that practice
going to teach you that practice the one minute meditation the one minute
the one minute meditation the one minute
the one minute meditation the one minute breath the one minute mindfulness so
breath the one minute mindfulness so
breath the one minute mindfulness so everybody right now take a deep breath
everybody right now take a deep breath
everybody right now take a deep breath in and exhale slowly again take a deep
in and exhale slowly again take a deep
in and exhale slowly again take a deep breath in and exhale slowly and now what
breath in and exhale slowly and now what
breath in and exhale slowly and now what we’re gonna do is go to our normal
we’re gonna do is go to our normal
we’re gonna do is go to our normal breathing and we’re going to count our
breathing and we’re going to count our
breathing and we’re going to count our breaths so inhale exhale is one inhale
breaths so inhale exhale is one inhale
breaths so inhale exhale is one inhale exhale two inhale exhale see how that
exhale two inhale exhale see how that
exhale two inhale exhale see how that works and so what we’re going to do is
works and so what we’re going to do is
works and so what we’re going to do is we’re going to breathe and we’re going
we’re going to breathe and we’re going
we’re going to breathe and we’re going to do it for 15 seconds as opposed to a
to do it for 15 seconds as opposed to a
to do it for 15 seconds as opposed to a minute and I’m going to time it all
minute and I’m going to time it all
minute and I’m going to time it all right you know what we’re going to do
right you know what we’re going to do
right you know what we’re going to do and begin counting your breaths now
and stop so now if you’re going into an
and stop so now if you’re going into an exam or maybe a job interview and you
exam or maybe a job interview and you
exam or maybe a job interview and you need 15 seconds or 10 seconds just to
need 15 seconds or 10 seconds just to
need 15 seconds or 10 seconds just to compose yourself
compose yourself
compose yourself you can sit someplace and just count
you can sit someplace and just count
you can sit someplace and just count your breaths you know how many you need
your breaths you know how many you need
your breaths you know how many you need to get to 15 seconds or if you’re a
to get to 15 seconds or if you’re a
to get to 15 seconds or if you’re a faculty member or a teacher instructor
faculty member or a teacher instructor
faculty member or a teacher instructor and you’re posing a particularly
and you’re posing a particularly
and you’re posing a particularly difficult question
difficult question
difficult question you can sit for 10 or 15 seconds
you can sit for 10 or 15 seconds
you can sit for 10 or 15 seconds counting your breaths while your
counting your breaths while your
counting your breaths while your students have time to reflect so now
students have time to reflect so now
students have time to reflect so now everybody’s calm and I said so what are
everybody’s calm and I said so what are
everybody’s calm and I said so what are the concerns and they say okay professor
the concerns and they say okay professor
the concerns and they say okay professor all right all right nobody in my
all right all right nobody in my
all right all right nobody in my community talks to each other no one
community talks to each other no one
community talks to each other no one talks to each other well why don’t you
talks to each other well why don’t you
talks to each other well why don’t you take the next three weeks and just when
take the next three weeks and just when
take the next three weeks and just when you see a person to say hi how you doing
okay okay professor you have seen what’s
okay okay professor you have seen what’s in my neighborhood is nasty the people
in my neighborhood is nasty the people
in my neighborhood is nasty the people are nasty they throw things down I mean
are nasty they throw things down I mean
are nasty they throw things down I mean it is disgusting they have no respect
it is disgusting they have no respect
it is disgusting they have no respect well maybe for the next three weeks you
well maybe for the next three weeks you
well maybe for the next three weeks you and a friend twice a week can go and
and a friend twice a week can go and
and a friend twice a week can go and pick up the garbage on your block okay
pick up the garbage on your block okay
pick up the garbage on your block okay professor there’s this old man he’s
professor there’s this old man he’s
professor there’s this old man he’s lived across the street from me and he
lived across the street from me and he
lived across the street from me and he will talk your ear off I have no idea
will talk your ear off I have no idea
will talk your ear off I have no idea what he’s talking about
what he’s talking about
what he’s talking about well maybe you should just listen and
well maybe you should just listen and
well maybe you should just listen and this student did listen and what she
this student did listen and what she
this student did listen and what she heard was he was a veteran and he went
heard was he was a veteran and he went
heard was he was a veteran and he went to this park that too far from his home
to this park that too far from his home
to this park that too far from his home and he loved it there because told the
and he loved it there because told the
and he loved it there because told the rich history of the military in the
rich history of the military in the
rich history of the military in the community so my student went there and
community so my student went there and
community so my student went there and she realized this is an incredible park
she realized this is an incredible park
she realized this is an incredible park and
and
and only a block away from her home she had
only a block away from her home she had
only a block away from her home she had never been there before
never been there before
never been there before empathy I want to share a story about
empathy I want to share a story about
empathy I want to share a story about another one of my students with the ICU
another one of my students with the ICU
another one of my students with the ICU practice she decides to do the ICU
practice she decides to do the ICU
practice she decides to do the ICU practice in her job which is home depot
practice in her job which is home depot
practice in her job which is home depot so she’s going up to people in home
so she’s going up to people in home
so she’s going up to people in home depot of me really really go to the
depot of me really really go to the
depot of me really really go to the people at Home Depot and she’s saying to
people at Home Depot and she’s saying to
people at Home Depot and she’s saying to them ICU and then you know people are
them ICU and then you know people are
them ICU and then you know people are moving away they’re kind of moot and
moving away they’re kind of moot and
moving away they’re kind of moot and she’s and she did this for the whole day
she’s and she did this for the whole day
she’s and she did this for the whole day at work
at work
at work I mean she went up to people everyone
I mean she went up to people everyone
I mean she went up to people everyone and finally it was the last person the
and finally it was the last person the
and finally it was the last person the end of her workday a customer she went
end of her workday a customer she went
end of her workday a customer she went up to her and said I see you and she
up to her and said I see you and she
up to her and said I see you and she walked away because the woman was a
walked away because the woman was a
walked away because the woman was a little alarmed but she heard these feet
little alarmed but she heard these feet
little alarmed but she heard these feet running behind her and she turned and it
running behind her and she turned and it
running behind her and she turned and it was that woman and she said to her thank
was that woman and she said to her thank
was that woman and she said to her thank you for seeing me empathy so now it’s
you for seeing me empathy so now it’s
you for seeing me empathy so now it’s the end of the semester we’re working on
the end of the semester we’re working on
the end of the semester we’re working on our research paper and you know we’re
our research paper and you know we’re
our research paper and you know we’re looking at marginalized people and
looking at marginalized people and
looking at marginalized people and marginalized group and how do we kind of
marginalized group and how do we kind of
marginalized group and how do we kind of evaluate and write about these folks and
evaluate and write about these folks and
evaluate and write about these folks and in the meantime I’ve also thrown in a
in the meantime I’ve also thrown in a
in the meantime I’ve also thrown in a few things to make it a little more
few things to make it a little more
few things to make it a little more complex I’ve thrown in things like well
complex I’ve thrown in things like well
complex I’ve thrown in things like well did you know that there are other people
did you know that there are other people
did you know that there are other people that marginalize people don’t
that marginalize people don’t
that marginalize people don’t particularly like and therefore you’re
particularly like and therefore you’re
particularly like and therefore you’re going to have to understand that because
going to have to understand that because
going to have to understand that because these are marginalized people maybe
these are marginalized people maybe
these are marginalized people maybe marginalizing other people and the
marginalizing other people and the
marginalizing other people and the students are like oh this is really way
students are like oh this is really way
students are like oh this is really way too much and we focus in on it and we
too much and we focus in on it and we
too much and we focus in on it and we research and we realize that wait a
research and we realize that wait a
research and we realize that wait a minute there’s something here and
minute there’s something here and
minute there’s something here and they’re using words like empathy and
they’re using words like empathy and
they’re using words like empathy and compassion and love and so I have them
compassion and love and so I have them
compassion and love and so I have them create a five slide PowerPoint and that
create a five slide PowerPoint and that
create a five slide PowerPoint and that PowerPoint has an image that will
PowerPoint has an image that will
PowerPoint has an image that will represent that marginalized group and
represent that marginalized group and
represent that marginalized group and we’re going to sit with that image and
we’re going to sit with that image and
we’re going to sit with that image and we’re going to behold and just deal with
we’re going to behold and just deal with
we’re going to behold and just deal with the emotions that come forth and this is
the emotions that come forth and this is
the emotions that come forth and this is one of those images so why don’t we just
one of those images so why don’t we just
one of those images so why don’t we just behold what my students looked at about
behold what my students looked at about
behold what my students looked at about this particular
this particular
this particular grip
so is it possible to develop empathy in
so is it possible to develop empathy in the classroom when my students clearly
the classroom when my students clearly
the classroom when my students clearly think it is originally I think they
think it is originally I think they
think it is originally I think they thought I was a little nutty but they
thought I was a little nutty but they
thought I was a little nutty but they now believe that we can develop empathy
now believe that we can develop empathy
now believe that we can develop empathy and we can learn a lot about each other
and we can learn a lot about each other
and we can learn a lot about each other and not only do we learn about each
and not only do we learn about each
and not only do we learn about each other we learn about people that we’ve
other we learn about people that we’ve
other we learn about people that we’ve had our own sort of personal experiences
had our own sort of personal experiences
had our own sort of personal experiences with or maybe we’re fearful of them or
with or maybe we’re fearful of them or
with or maybe we’re fearful of them or maybe had ideas about them that weren’t
maybe had ideas about them that weren’t
maybe had ideas about them that weren’t so true and we learned something about
so true and we learned something about
so true and we learned something about ourselves so yes it is possible it is
ourselves so yes it is possible it is
ourselves so yes it is possible it is possible to develop empathy as practice
possible to develop empathy as practice
possible to develop empathy as practice and so my students asked me to leave you
and so my students asked me to leave you
and so my students asked me to leave you with something this is what they learned
with something this is what they learned
with something this is what they learned and this is what they wanted to share
and this is what they wanted to share
and this is what they wanted to share and it goes like this I see you I see
and it goes like this I see you I see
and it goes like this I see you I see you I see you thank you
you I see you thank you
you I see you thank you [Applause]
”
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