What is the role of character education in the classroom? Educator Jonathan Juravich discusses how we can go beyond teaching empathy as a 'soft skill' and make it actionable.
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When you tell a kindergartner to "walk in someone else's shoes" it can be kind of confusing. Why should they put on someone else's shoes? What if they wear a different shoe size? Art educator and 2018 Ohio State Teacher of the Year Jonathan Juravich is interested in finding ways to teach empathy that go beyond catchphrases, and instill an awareness of others that can be expressed through action. Drawing from experiences in his classroom and home, Jonathan describes several exercises he's used to help students identify their emotions and invest in the feelings of others.

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