Empathy and the Power of Feeling Understood
Strengthen relationships and foster resilience through the power of empathy
FORMAT:Â Self-pacedÂ
CREDIT:Â 7 Core of Knowledge Credits
Instructors:Â Jenny Barrett and Dr. Anne TownsendÂ
Course Description:
Children thrive when they feel seen, heard, and understood. But in the busy world of early childhood education, responding with empathy can sometimes feel easier said than done. Empathy and the Power of Feeling Understood is a self-paced online course designed to help educators build strong, supportive connections with young children by recognizing and responding to their emotions in meaningful ways.
Through a mix of video demonstrations, guided practice, and reflection exercises, you’ll learn the mechanics of empathy, explore common misconceptions, and discover strategies for navigating moments when empathy may need to be postponed. By the end of the course, you’ll have practical tools to create emotionally supportive environments that help children develop resilience, emotional regulation, and trust.
What You'll Gain
-
How to recognize and respond to children’s emotions with empathy
-
Why empathy builds resilience and supports emotional regulation
-
Common misconceptions about empathy — and how to avoid them
-
How to repair moments when empathy was missed or postponed
-
Practical strategies for creating a classroom culture where all children feel understood
This Course Includes
This course features self-paced components to learn the skill or concept, along with 1-hour live sessions (in-person or online) to practice and receive feedback.
Self-paced components include:
- Short, digestible mini-lessons to watch at your own pace
- Interactive online and live exercises to reinforce key conceptsÂ
- Downloadable resources with practical tip sheets
- Teacher resources, including videos and articles
- Videos of teacher-student interactions using the Mariposa Method
- Reflection prompts and opportunities for feedback
Requirements:
-
Prerequisite: Social Emotional Learning that Actually Works (within the last year)
-
If you completed the full 8-module course Promoting Social-Emotional Resilience: Mariposa's Approach to Helping Children Reach Their Full Potential, you may also take this course as a refresher.
-
If you have not taken Social Emotional Learning that Actually Works, you can purchase both modules in a package.
-
Recommended For:
- Teachers, educators, and caregivers of children under age 8
- Both early-career and seasoned educators
Add ons:
-
Bonus (limited time): Send in a written example for personalized written feedback from lead instructors.
-
Live Feedback & Coaching: Add a private session with a lead instructor for $250. This can be scheduled individually or with a group of teachers who have completed the course.
