Stand in My Shoes: Understanding Perspective-Taking

In November, students learned about perspective-taking, the ability to understand what someone else might be thinking or feeling. We talked about what it means to “stand in someone else’s shoes” and why empathy is important for friendships, communication, and solving conflicts.

We watched a read-aloud of Stand in My Shoes, where Emily noticed others’ feelings and showed kindness. Students shared examples of how she practiced empathy in the story. We also explored optical illusions to show that people can look at the same thing but see it differently, just like in real life.

Students then practiced perspective-taking by reading real-life scenarios and answering two questions:

1. How do you think this person feels?

2. How could you show that you care?

Through these activities, students learned how to pause, notice others’ emotions, and respond with compassion.

Try this at home:
Ask your child, “How did you show empathy to someone today?”