When empathy, understanding, and compassion are given a space to develop within the classroom, it directly results in the action of kindness in students outside of the classroom. Trafalgar Castle School puts an emphasis on the importance of this kindness, as studies prove that kindness results in stronger emotional well-being, and increased academic motivation.
In 2023, the Journal of Positive Psychology conducted a study that found children who were engaging in acts of kindness reported “greater life satisfaction and higher academic motivation.” With this research, Clinic Psychologist Lisa Damour suggests that “compassion isn’t just a nice to have skill, it’s really essential for thriving.” Laurie Kuchirka, Dean of Academics, recognizes this idea: “Trafalgar understands kindness and empathy are essential to education, and our programs and curriculum are curated to foster and develop both of these qualities. This drives our students to thrive in all contexts and encourages positive relationships with everyone in our students’ lives – including themselves.” The Oxford World Happiness Report confirmed this theory, stating that those who act on kindness have a much higher happiness index and a fulfilled life. Trafalgar Castle School understands that social connections, strong relationships, and kindness to ourselves and others are the keys to students’ mental and emotional wellness and to a safe, encouraging academic environment in which they can thrive.
While Trafalgar Castle School is known for providing exceptional academics in STEAM and developing future-ready competencies in students, its Liberal Arts & Humanities curriculum also prepares students for the future and nurtures and enhances their social and emotional well-being. An emphasis on cultivating kindness and empathy is essential to education at the Castle, as kindness not only develops future-ready competencies like confident communicators, collaborative leaders, and global citizens but is also statistically proven to have a direct impact on academic motivation and achievement.
It is not just the subject matter in the Liberal Arts & Humanities that develops kindness and empathy but also the way in which the subject matter is taught. For example, Trafalgar’s Liberal Arts & Humanities courses employ the Harkness Method, which was developed at Phillips Exeter Academy and involves students seated in an oval shape for class discussions. This method allows students to lead discussions, and explore topics together and helps to accommodate each student’s learning style. Each student brings their own experience to the discussion, which allows for enhanced knowledge on a topic in addition to a stronger understanding of how their peers think, learn, and experience life. This method not only develops collaborative leadership skills and clear communication but also allows space for students to listen to and respect the opinions of their peers. These are the building blocks to kindness and empathy: recognizing, understanding, and respecting the lived experiences of others.
The opportunities for empathy and kindness are many and explored in nearly all of Traflagar’s Liberal Arts & Humanities classrooms, where different topics are tied together with the thread of social and emotional development. Additional opportunities are provided through experiential learning. For instance, the annual Youth Philanthropy Initiative in Grade 10 Civics has students researching a charity that they are passionate about, which includes conducting an interview with a charity associate. Their research is then compiled in a presentation and submitted for the opportunity to win $5000 for that charity. Through researching and actively engaging with philanthropic organizations, students are provided the opportunity to connect and empathize with individuals who have a different lived experience than themselves and develop kindness and empathy as their understanding of those in need grows.
In Ancient History courses, recognizing and empathizing with various lived experiences is expanded. Senior School Humanities Teacher Amanda Boyle says that Senior Students have replicated the techniques of hunter-gatherers in cave paintings, mapped out the size and shape of Viking longboats, and used a replica of a Roman surveying tool called a “groma” to study ancient road-building techniques.
Boyle explains that “these experiences help students to develop historical perspective by putting them in the shoes of people in history and letting them share experiences in a small way.” Laurie Kuchirka states that Trafalgar ensures that its curriculum is designed to “foster compassion through the education of various historical circumstances and how they affected different groups of people.” Kuchirka adds that history works in conjunction with many other Liberal Arts & Humanities courses, such as Social Sciences, which explore social constructs and environmental implications in order to further develop these themes of empathy and understanding.
Trafalgar Castle School’s Liberal Arts & Humanities curriculum is carefully designed to teach students about respecting the lived experience of others and develop empathy for situations beyond their own. The result? Kindness — something that not only directly influences academic motivation, dedication and achievement but also prepares students to be global citizens, collaborative leaders, clear communicators and, most importantly, happy.