Spotlight on HOM 

Listening with Understanding and Empathy in Specialist Classes

This term students have been focusing on the Habit of Mind Listening with Understanding and Empathy. Whilst our students are quite good at listening with understanding and can use the appropriate protocols such as eye contact, many have misunderstood listening with empathy, a much deeper thinking skill. The Specialist Team have provided opportunities for students to use this habit in the following ways:

In Performing Arts, students in Years 3 and 4 rehearsed and performed to their peers a specific play, ‘Listen Up’ which was created to develop this Habit of Mind. Students were able to demonstrate their understanding through acting out the roles as well as respectful empathetic audience members.

In Visual Arts, students listened with understanding and demonstrated how to use their past knowledge of sewing a running stitch, to use it as a functional part of a new piece of art. 

In Year 2, Charlotte listened with empathy and understanding as Charli asked for assistance on how to go about the task of creating her Spring flower.

In Science, students were building windmills. They were required to 'Listen with Understanding' to fellow team mates when problem solving how to build and modify their windmills. 

In Engineering, students discussed how magnets can be used to propel a car around a racetrack they designed for maximum speed. This allowed them to use the strategy of listening with empathy and understanding to solve the problem of using force to move a toy car in a given direction. 

In Physical Education, Year 2 Students, while learning Gymnastics this term, have been focusing on listening and understanding with empathy. The students do this by listening to each other explain the different elements of what they will perform before watching their peers show the ideas/movements. 

In Japanese, students listened with understanding and empathy during Japanese Day when our special visitors were giving instructions about ink art and taiko drumming. Through careful listening, students were able to demonstrate these activities.

In Coding and Robotics students were listening with understanding and empathy to their peers when they were sharing personal stories. 

When coding on the computer, students listened to each other’s inquiries and when receiving instructions.