The RULER Approach is now a part of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, formerly Yale's Health, Emotion, and Behavior Laboratory. Check back within the coming months for a brand new website.
What A Bullied School Bus Monitor Can Teach Us All
June 25, 2012
Although it is difficult to do so, it is necessary to also be empathetic toward a bully, not just the victim. While Karen Klein, the 68 year-old bus monitor who was tormented by middle school children, received accolades and empathy, her tormentors have received nothing but contempt. In her compassion, Klein has hit on something essential to understand about bullying and empathy in general. They are largely learned behaviors. There is growing evidence that positive social skills, broadly called social-emotional learning, can be taught successfully in schools and by parents. Social emotional skills involve things like understanding what we are feeling and why, learning to manage those emotions, developing concern and empathy toward others, thinking before we act, and handling challenging situations constructively.
