While There I Began To

Emotional 'literacy' Implies An Expanded Responsibility For Schools In Helping To Socialize Children. This Daunting Task Requires Two Major Changes: That Teachers Go Beyond Their Traditional Mission And That People In The Community Become More Involved With Schools As Both Active Participants In Children's Learning And As Individual Mentors.

A Little Girl Who Finds A Puzzle Frustrating Might Ask Her Busy Mother (or Teacher) For Help. The Child Gets One Message If Her Mother Expresses Clear Pleasure At The Request And Quite Another If Mommy Responds With A Curt 'don't Bother Me - I've Got Important Work To Do.'

Simple Inattention Kills Empathy, Let Alone Compassion. So The First Step In Compassion Is To Notice The Other's Need. It All Begins With The Simple Act Of Attention.

The Social Brain Is In Its Natural Habitat When We're Talking With Someone Face-to-face In Real Time.

Simply Paying Attention Allows Us To Build An Emotional Connection. Lacking Attention, Empathy Hasn't A Chance.