Recently I came across this brief video of young children sharing ways in which they deal with stressful times when anger comes to the surface of their feelings. Seems like we have an opportunity to learn from the youth. Check it out at https://youtu.be/RVA2N6tX2cg. There is a connection here to the power of listening with empathy and understanding from the perspective of the children. It’s a beautiful example of someone giving children the space to express without judgment. It’s almost impossible to listen to them without feeling a sense of empathy for them as well as respect for ways they have learned to deal with strong feelings.

As leaders who are dedicated to supporting the academic, physical, social and emotional development of all students, what message from the video is speaking directly to you? How do you consistently offer empathetic comments to your students?