Apology Letters
As a follow-up activity to the Circle on empathy, I asked students to write two letters. The first letter was to be written in the voice of someone they would like to apologize to them and the second was to be written as an apology letter to someone they had hurt. The particular order in which the letters were to be written was purposeful and based on my belief that not only would it be easier for students to identify someone that hurt them, but reflecting on the source of their hurt would feed and translate into the genuineness and depth of their own apologies. This is something that was missing in the letters that students were encouraged and sometimes even forced to write to teachers apologizing for their behavior which often lacked sincerity. Students struggle to look beyond themselves and consider their
classmates and teachers which have not only stifled learning, but growth and progress. It all seemed tied to the power of perspective-taking and the role that it plays in shaping our own understandings.
One of the biggest areas in which I observed this power at work in students’ letters was in their complete shift from indifference to sensitivity. Time and time again students’ attitudes of indifference were the sources of their undesirable behaviors. The words “I don’t care” were either verbally stated or physically demonstrated through their complete disregard and noncompliance. Even prior to their engagement in writing the letters, students said that they could not think of anyone that had hurt their feelings, claiming that they didn’t really care. But as they began reflecting and writing it became clear that this “I don’t care” attitude was all a facade which was then simply projected onto others. The truth of the matter was that they did care and that by acknowledging that they became aware of how contradicting or insensitive
actions may influence others.
classmates and teachers which have not only stifled learning, but growth and progress. It all seemed tied to the power of perspective-taking and the role that it plays in shaping our own understandings.
One of the biggest areas in which I observed this power at work in students’ letters was in their complete shift from indifference to sensitivity. Time and time again students’ attitudes of indifference were the sources of their undesirable behaviors. The words “I don’t care” were either verbally stated or physically demonstrated through their complete disregard and noncompliance. Even prior to their engagement in writing the letters, students said that they could not think of anyone that had hurt their feelings, claiming that they didn’t really care. But as they began reflecting and writing it became clear that this “I don’t care” attitude was all a facade which was then simply projected onto others. The truth of the matter was that they did care and that by acknowledging that they became aware of how contradicting or insensitive
actions may influence others.
Assuming a Voice of Reason |
I Apologize |
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