Ron Clark- The Excellent 11 - Chapter 6 Compassion

Chapter 6: Compassion

In this section Clark opens by talking about how many children grow up with a lack of consideration for others. We hear so much about bulling in schools and how harmful it can be. Clark discusses how teachers need to teach compassion and lead by example in their classrooms. Often times, because children are not taught compassion, they have no role model for observing and learning how to treat others. Clark talks about putting yourself in someone else shoes. He writes, "As teachers we must be aware of the climate of our classroom and how the students are interacting with one another. We have to make sure that our students feel safe and comfortable and that they are able to focus on their education." (124) For so many children, home is not a safe place, so as teachers, we must ensure that school is. School should be a place where students can come worry free and learn. Clark talks about teaching compassion to his students through story telling. He said that every year he tells his students how he was bullied as a child and how that made him feel. Forming that connection and making students understand their actions can really help to make students realize the effects of their actions.

Clark discusses that often times problems in the classroom are not between student and teacher, but 2 students. It is important as a teacher to teach students problem solving skills and watch and guide them through the process. Clark outlines in this section his solution to 90% of class problems.

1. Find out the source of the problem (usually there are two main students, often former friends who are upset wit each other).

2. Get the two students to sit down and talk through the problem.

key questions:
- What did _______ do to upset you?
- What do you think happened?
- How did what happened make you feel?
- What could _______ do that would make you feel better?

Clark asks both sets of students these questions

3. Show the rest of the class that the two students have resolved their problem. If appropriate, I ask them to sit together at lunch of I put them on a project together. I try to show the rest of the class that all animosity is over so that they will jump off the bandwagon and thing can return to normal.

4. Tell the students that the issue will not be discussed again. If I hear any of the students bring up the matter, I tell them I will punish them in the same way as if they were at the center of the altercation.

5. Talk to the students about how the situation could have been resolved before it blew out of proportion. Whenever possible it is good to give the kids tools they can use themselves so that similar problems won't arise in the future.

I think that Clark's outline of dealing with bulling or disagreements in the classroom is an excellent one. So often you hear teachers trying to stay out of disagreements between students .. "letting them solve their own problems" but the truth is, as a teacher, it is your job to teach and guide children to the right path. Bulling is something we hear more and more about now a days. We realize that this bulling can have effects that last much longer than Elementary or middle school.. it can effect a persons whole life. School shoots etc. have been linked to bulling in early years of a child's life. Clark talks about the importance of being aware of the bulling issues and not ignoring the sines. He talks about building up the confidence of the student being bullied, but not "punishing" the whole class for a bulling incident- this just makes the class mad at the student who is bullied.

In the last section on this chapter, Clark talks about not being afraid to show students compassion. There is nothing wrong with letting students see who you are as a person and things you are compassionate and passionate about. Students learn so much by example, and as teachers we can be great role models and icons for students to learn from.