Conducting Empathy Interviews

There has never been a more important time to practice empathy, as we face the formidable task of teaching and caring for students and their families during the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and systemic racism. Empathy means trying to deeply understand the experiences and feelings of other people. It is both a mindset to embrace and a skill to practice. While we can never fully understand the experiences of another person, we can listen deeply to their stories and perspectives to uncover unacknowledged needs. As we listen, we must simultaneously examine how our own identities, biases, values, and experiences influence how we make meaning of what others share with us. While many of us may already practice empathy in our daily lives, we have learned that one practice — empathy interviews — can help create more human-centered improvement practices across school systems. This resource contains four modules aimed at helping us design, conduct, and analyze empathy interviews. Each module contains a series of videos as well as some reflection questions. Slide decks are also included as an additional resource.