Pulmuone Foundation runs teacher training program on empathy education

The Pulmuone Foundation announced Thursday that it had conducted a teacher training program centered on "empathy education."

The empathy education program is designed to help children examine real-life cases of hatred and discrimination and understand the importance of empathy, respect and cooperation. It was developed in line with the recently enacted Student Customized Integrated Support Act, with the aim of helping teachers better understand the individual characteristics and diversity of their students and foster a culture of cooperation.

About 150 teachers from Gangdong-gu and Songpa-gu attended the event, including school principals, vice principals and department heads. Child and adolescent psychiatrist Son Seong-eun and Jungdong High School philosophy teacher Ahn Gwang-bok served as speakers.

In the first session, Son delivered a special lecture titled "Empathy for Both Teachers and Students," drawing on student counseling data to explain the psychological and environmental characteristics of students in a range of circumstances. The second session featured Ahn, who introduced the theory and core concepts behind empathy education.

"We will continue to fulfill the social responsibility of a nonprofit public-interest organization through education that can have a positive impact on future generations," said Lee Byeong-in, who oversees the foundation's empathy education project.