--- title: Friends School Blog | Victoria LeBron, 5th grade teacher description: Friends School of Baltimore’s private school blog provides thought-provoking ideas and trends in Pre-K-12 education. The Thinking Cap focuses on a wide range of topics, from the importance of play in problem solving and the maker movement, to technology in the middle school classroom and the A.P. curriculum. Friends School of Baltimore – the world needs what our children can do. --- ![ThinkingCapHeader.jpg](https://blog.friendsbalt.org/hs-fs/hubfs/ThinkingCapHeader.jpg?width=4000&name=ThinkingCapHeader.jpg "ThinkingCapHeader.jpg") # Friends School of Baltimore Private School Blog ## Victoria LeBron, 5th grade teacher ### Recent Posts ## [Teaching empathy in the elementary classroom](https://blog.friendsbalt.org/teaching-empathy-in-the-elementary-classroom) Posted by [Victoria LeBron, 5th grade teacher](https://blog.friendsbalt.org/author/victoria-lebron-5th-grade-teacher) on Feb 13, 2018 1:04:29 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://blog.friendsbalt.org/hubfs/teachingempathy-2-13-18.jpg)](https://blog.friendsbalt.org/teaching-empathy-in-the-elementary-classroom) A few weeks ago, I asked my 5th graders to complete this prompt: *Something I think you should know about me right now is*\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. It was mid-January and seemed like a good time for a check-in. I was inspired to engage the class in this exercise after sensing an ongoing anxious energy among the students (tense body language, tears, distracted giggling). Maybe this would refocus us all, or at least help my homeroom to feel closer to one another. The students took a few minutes to journal on the prompt and then we met for [morning meeting](http://experience.friendsbalt.org/discover/), like most days. [Read More](https://blog.friendsbalt.org/teaching-empathy-in-the-elementary-classroom) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.friendsbalt.org/teaching-empathy-in-the-elementary-classroom#comments-listing) Topics: [Teaching empathy](https://blog.friendsbalt.org/topic/teaching-empathy), [empathy in elementary education](https://blog.friendsbalt.org/topic/empathy-in-elementary-education) [All posts](https://blog.friendsbalt.org/all) ## Considering an Independent School?  ### Download Friends School's "15 Important Questions to Ask when visiting an independent school."  - Learn *the right questions* to ask when evaluating school options.  - Gain confidence in making the important decision of where to send your child to school.  [![15 Questions to Ask](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2241609/557274a3-d5bd-483e-b05a-38749edfaf21.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2241609/557274a3-d5bd-483e-b05a-38749edfaf21) ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Other blog posts ## Experience Friends  ### Experience our culture and campus like never before.  [![](https://blog.friendsbalt.org/hs-fs/hubfs/experience%20friends%20crop.jpg?width=390&height=195&name=experience%20friends%20crop.jpg "experience friends crop.jpg")](http://experience.friendsbalt.org/) [![Inquire at Friends](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2241609/bc7b32da-058b-4329-963b-f235b0318869.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2241609/bc7b32da-058b-4329-963b-f235b0318869) ![Site-Footer-Wordmark.png](https://blog.friendsbalt.org/hs-fs/hubfs/LogosSeals/Site-Footer-Wordmark.png?width=320&name=Site-Footer-Wordmark.png "Site-Footer-Wordmark.png") Friends School of Baltimore is a private coeducational Quaker school founded in 1784 and serving students in Pre-K through 12th grade. Learn more about Friends School by visiting our [website](https://www.friendsbalt.org/page) and [virtual viewbook](https://experience.friendsbalt.org).   \[fa icon="phone"\]  410-649-3211 \[fa icon="envelope"\]  [admission@friendsbalt.org](mailto:admission@friendsbalt.org) 5114 North Charles Street Baltimore Maryland 21210 \[fa icon="chevron-up"\]Back to top