Convention speaker urges Catholic educators to teach students empathy

Published: 2008-03-28

INDIANAPOLIS (CNS) -- Daniel Pink, an author of books on the changing work world, told Catholic educators March 27 at the National Catholic Educational Association convention in Indianapolis they need to prepare students differently to succeed in today's work force. In a keynote address during the March 25-28 convention attended by more than 7,000 educators, Pink said the work environment is changing from its one-time emphasis on "logical, linear and spreadsheet-type abilities" to more "artistry, empathy, inventiveness and big-picture thinking." Jobs in America that once relied on following a certain set of steps to perform are being outsourced to other countries where they can be performed more cheaply, he said. To prepare students for the changing work force, he said educators need to put more focus on developing those "right brain" skills where a person's creativity and humanity make a difference. Above all, students need to learn empathy, he said, describing it as "the ability to stand in someone's shoes, to feel with their hearts and see with their eyes."

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