Exploring How Quality Children’s Literature Can Enhance Compassion and Empathy in the Classroom Context

Abstract

Compassion and empathy are attributes that are critical for productive and supportive classrooms. They are also important qualities for the world outside of the classroom. An effective way of encouraging compassionate and empathetic thinking and actions with students in schools is through the use of quality picture books. Many children’s books deal with deep emotional issues and, through both the words and images, evoke compassion and empathy. Such literature often emphasises how thinking about others has moral outcomes, enhances one’s ability to communicate and collaborate with people as well as develop deeper understanding of other’s experiences and feelings. Further work can be enhanced by teachers undertaking specific teachable moments to instil effective personal and social capabilities within their students. The Australian Curriculum, for example, embodies seven general capabilities including Personal and Social Capability that includes self-management, self-awareness, social management and social awareness. This chapter uses this capability as a framework to explore how these key ideas are reflected in three children’s picture books. The chapter will analyse both the language and images used to illustrate how the authors have explored issues related to compassion and empathy such as depression, satisfaction, happiness and inclusion. In addition, the chapter will offer some ways in which teachers can implement effective learning activities with the books selected. This article will assist teachers in encouraging personal and social capabilities, with a particular focus on compassion and empathy, in order to address issues between students such as bullying, ignorance and misunderstanding of others.