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Empathy is compulsory at Denmark’s schools for kids 6-16 years old.

By on February 27, 2020

For many years, children have become too comfortable with the ‘reward system.’

Children compete with other kids in academic subjects or sports in order to make it to the honor roll. Highest achievers are rewarded with plaques, badges of honor, admiration and respect for something they have done so well. 

So it has become naturally better to keep an eye on the ‘prize’. But it is, in a way, harming our kids. As they try to aim high, they expose themselves to stress that causes them to be desensitized. Dennis Hayes, professor of education at Derby University, said “too many rewards risked undermining pupils’ ability to learn.”

“The qualifications culture has invaded informal learning to such an extent that anything that doesn’t have a certificate attached to it is devalued,” he said. “Informal learning has been completely caught up in the qualifications machine.”

Being devalued leads to bullying.

Lasse Lynaes, a Kindergarten teacher in Denmark said in an interview with Euronews: “There are many children who don’t have the confidence and who feel they’re being bullied, and it begins early in the kindergarten. And if you don’t nip it in the bud, it will carry on throughout life.”

“Those who are bullied will bully others in school and later on in life. As an adult, if you’ve been bullied, you’re more likely to be someone who bullies. So we feel it’s important to stop the bullying here.”

Empathy as a social skill, has taken on a heightened role in Danish classrooms. In 1993, the government of Denmark made it mandatory for children 6-16 years old to attend empathy classes. In Danish schools, there is a one-hour “Klassens tid,” a time dedicated for children to talk about problems they have been experiencing. The goal is for students to come together, think as a group to find a solution in a relaxed, casual setting.

The empathy classes challenge children to compete with themselves, respect the feelings of others without displaying superiority. Thinking collaboratively helps young children relate to each other as equals which could later prevent bullying and sympathize with the problems of others in a genuine way. It offers an opportunity to exercise each child’s right to be heard, feel valued, connected, and become part of a community that works.

The results show. For seven years in a row, Denmark has ranked in the top 3 of the UN World Happiness Report. Their happiness is closely linked to social equality and a strong sense of community spirit.

Empathy is a crucial 21st century skill.

About Julie Wilson