Empatico Exchange
Towards another person, an object, or a phenomenon, you may have apathy, sympathy or empathy. Empathy involves 'putting yourself in the shoe of others'. But how will you be able to do this if you do not know much about the person or thing you want to empathize with? Definitely, no better way than to familiarize yourself with the person/concept. So our class signed up for the Empatico exchange.
For weeks, we were busy preparing. We received 'Get to Know you' questions from our partner class and we sent our own questions too. Although, the terrible winter put off our exchange for about three weeks, we finally had our first international exchange where we met 43 Ukrainian students. It was an eye-opening and a confidence building session for my pupils and I.
After the exchange, we awarded those who actively participated a certificate as a testimony to their preparedness and thoughtful engagement. A major take away is the way our partner class received our hobby demonstration. They returned the gesture by also showing us a beautiful dance step which is an hobby among children in Ukraine.
