Year
Learning Area
Approaches to Learning - Tools
Empathy

Introduction

Social skills are vital in enabling an individual to have and maintain positive interactions with others. Many of these skills are crucial in making and sustaining friendships. Social interactions do not always run smoothly and an individual needs to be able to implement appropriate strategies, such as conflict resolution when difficulties in interactions arise. It is also important for individuals to have ’empathy’ (i.e. being able to put yourself into someone else’s shoes and recognise their feelings) as it allows them to respond in an understanding and caring way to how others are feeling (Kids Sense Child Development, 2018).

 

By researching different perspectives we are able to gain a considered, rather than an uneducated opinion. Below are activities designed to develop an understanding of perspectives.

Humans of New York

The tabs College, Life and Marriage are stories of real life situations of 'humans in New York'. They include examples of decisions and choices made in cultures very different to ours. You will need to take the view point of one of the people in the story. You choose and argue their point of view with a partner. Who has the most convincing argument.

 

  1. Choose one of the stories that has two opposing points of view.
  2. These argument have 2 points of view. Take one point of view and gather your supporting research to defent your stance
  3. Sit with your partner and present your arguments to each other. Take turns until you have both finished.
  4. Was there a clear winner
  5. Now the fun part swap your notes and research and argue for the other side.
  6. How did you go? Did the same point of view still win?
  7. Reflection: Were you able to see both sides of the story? Compare how it felt arguing for each point of view. 

(Crofts, 2018)

(HumansofNewYork.com, 2018)

(HumansofNewYork.com, 2018)

 

(HumansofNewYork.com, 2018)

 

Globalisation - Perspectives

The tabs CEO, Sweatshop Worker and Athlete include stories of real life impacts of Nike through the globalisation lens. Each tab includes areas of concern for each person. In order to consider the extent to which the Nike company impacts these humans around the world consider the following:

1. Choose a person.

2. Identify three areas of concern for that person?

3. Compare and contrast the different perspectives with another person.

- The extent to which the Nike company impacts these humans around the world.

 

By consider the points of view of Phil Knight the CEO of Nike, a sweatshop worker and an athlete you can better understand the company Nike.

 

 

 

Book - Shoe Dog by Nike CEO Phil Knight - Memoirs, Page 372

Phil Knight’s book was released in 2017. Phil Knight, the CEO and founder of Nike offers his truth from as a primary source. In his book, Phil discusses the controversy around sweatshops – the media blow up – his angry response – then he decides to make a difference. He spends ten years creating change to improve the conditions of the factories. According to Phil Knight, the United Nations have stated that "Nike is the Gold Standard by which they measure factories" (Knight, 2017, page 372).

Documentary - Behind the Swoosh by Jim Keady (2008)

1998 while Jim Keady was researching Nike, the university he worked for signed a $3.5 million deal with Nike forcing athletes and coaches to endorse Nike. He created this Behind the Swoosh documentary which highlights the living conditions for the Nike sweatshop workers in Jakarta. They get paid $1.25 per day, enough to pay for their food and soap.

Tiger Woods earns enough in 1 second for a Jakarta sweatshop to buy a house.

The Story of Nike

Frisch, A. (2009).The Story of Nike. Saunders: Canada

Athletes

Pros

According to Frisch (2008), advancements in the technology of Nike sports shoes have created many benefits to athletes including a reduction in injuries and better performance. Elite athletes are able to pursue a career in athletics through profitable sports sponsorship. Nike sponsored   – Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, John McEnroe.

Other pros include Nike employment of 74 000 people worldwide. In 2007 Forbes ranked Nike 69/100 on the Best Company to work for. Nike's Oregan Campus is a sporting paradise for employees (Frisch, 2009). 

 

Tiger Woods earns enough in 1 second for a Jakarta sweatshop to buy a house.