Modified Empathy Circle Discussion

This discussion guide is tailored for a one-on-one conversation, enabling deep exploration of personal feelings and experiences. It helps the student reflect on empathy in a supportive environment. The discussion is designed to build a trusting space, where the student's insights are valued and supported.

Guidelines

• Listen Carefully: Focus on the student's feelings and experiences. Make sure you actively listen and respond with care.
• Share Gently: Encourage the student to speak openly and honestly about their feelings and thoughts.
• Reflect Thoughtfully: Ask follow-up questions that help the student think more deeply about their emotions.
• Offer Support: Validate the student's feelings and explore supportive ways to handle emotions.

Discussion Prompts

1. Reflecting on Emotions

• Prompt: Can you tell me about a time when you felt really happy or really sad?
  • Follow-up: What made you feel that way? How do you remember reacting?

2. Recognizing Others' Feelings in a One-on-One Setting

• Prompt: Think about a time when you noticed a friend or family member feeling upset. What clues helped you understand how they felt?
  • Follow-up: How did recognizing their feelings change what you did or said?

3. Personal Empathy Reflection

• Prompt: Imagine a situation where someone you care about lost something special. How do you think you would feel in that situation?
  • Follow-up: What are some kind things you could say or do to help them feel better?

4. Deepening Personal Understanding

• Prompt: What is one idea you discovered about empathy today? How does it relate to your own experiences?
  • Follow-up: How might understanding your feelings help you support someone else who is going through a tough time?

Concluding the Discussion

Wrap up by asking the student to share one thing they might do in the future to show empathy. Emphasize that their personal experiences and insights make them a thoughtful, caring friend.

• Final Thought: Remember, empathy starts with understanding how you feel and then reaching out to support others. Your unique feelings are important, and sharing them can help make both you and those around you feel valued.

Walk in Their Shoes Activity (Interactive Tier 3 Version)

This role-playing activity is designed to be engaging and interactive, helping a child with ADHD explore and reflect on feelings. The activity includes movement, hands-on tasks, and quick transitions between scenarios to maintain focus and interest.

How to Set Up the Activity

1. Preparation:

   • Ensure the student has a comfortable, distraction-free area for both movement and focused reflection.
   • Gather interactive materials: scenario cards, a journal or drawing paper, crayons/markers, and a small ball or beanbag for interactive movement tasks.
   • Explain that the activity involves acting out feelings and moving to understand different emotions.

2. Materials Needed:

   • Descriptive scenario cards (printed or drawn).
   • Journal or drawing paper.
   • Crayons/markers.
   • A small ball or beanbag.

Activity Steps

1. Introduction (2 minutes)

• Start with a brief, high-energy discussion: "Today, we're going to move around and act out how people might feel in different situations. Let’s think about how our bodies show feelings too!"
• Explain that they will role-play scenarios and use movement to show emotions.

2. Interactive Role-Playing Scenarios (8 minutes)

Scenario A: Feeling Abandoned at School

• Prompt: "Imagine you come to school and feel like no one has noticed you. You are sitting alone while everyone else plays, and your teacher is busy elsewhere. How do you think you might feel?"
• Interactive Element: Using a ball, toss it to a spot that represents a friend reaching out. Ask the student to physically move to that spot and mimic a welcoming gesture.
• Follow-up: Ask: "What did that movement feel like? Does it change how you think about the scenario?"

Scenario B: Losing a Trusted Object

• Prompt: "Imagine your special toy or blanket that makes you feel safe goes missing. How would that make you feel?
• Interactive Element: Have the student use a beanbag to 'search' around the room as if looking for the object. After a short search, pause and ask: "How did moving around make you feel when you were looking for something important?"

Scenario C: Misunderstood Feelings at Home

• Prompt: "Imagine you're at home trying to tell someone about your feelings, but they don't seem to understand. How might that make you feel?"
• Interactive Element: Ask the student to use their arms to express frustration (safely and gently) and then bring their hands together as if to show comfort, illustrating a transition from feeling misunderstood to feeling comforted.
• Follow-up: Ask: "How did your body change when you moved from frustration to a comforting gesture?"

3. Reflection (2 minutes)

• Conclude with a calm, reflective activity. Ask the student to sit down and either draw a picture or write a few words about each scenario.
• Prompt with questions like: "What did you learn about how our bodies help us feel and express emotions?" and "How can you use what you learned to help yourself or a friend in a similar situation?"

Teacher Tips

• Movement Breaks: Incorporate short bursts of movement between scenarios (like jumping in place or stretching) to help reset attention.
• Visual Cues: Use colorful scenario cards and props to visually engage the student.
• Interactive Discussions: Keep discussions brief and to the point to maintain focus. Rely on interactive elements to drive engagement.
• Positive Reinforcement: Praise the student for participating and using movement to express and understand feelings.

This interactive activity leverages physical movement and hands-on role-playing to help the student with ADHD deeply connect with the concepts of empathy and emotional awareness.

Empathy Reflection Cool Down

After a fun and engaging lesson on empathy, it's important to take a moment to reflect on what we've learned. This cool down activity encourages students to think quietly about their understanding of emotions and how they can apply empathy in their daily lives.

Steps for the Cool Down Activity

1. Silent Reflection (5 minutes):

   • Ask students to sit comfortably and close their eyes.
   • Encourage them to think about one thing they learned today about how someone might feel and how they could help if they saw a friend in a similar situation.

2. Drawing or Writing (3 minutes):

   • Provide paper and crayons/markers.
   • Invite students to draw a picture or write a few sentences about a moment when they showed empathy or how they might show it in the future.
     
     
     

3. Sharing (2 minutes):

   • Optionally, ask students to share their reflections one by one with the group.
   • Remind them that every idea is valuable and that listening to each other is also a form of empathy.

This activity not only helps to wind down the class but also reinforces the importance of empathy in everyday interactions, ensuring that these valuable social-emotional skills are practiced beyond the classroom.