This week I encourage my students to take risks with their writing. They have all selected difficult topics for community profiles. They will use a profile of a person as a building block for a larger discussion. What does this person’s story say about social situations, trends or problems? I’ve asked them to be brave, to open up, to trust one another. I’ve asked them to emphasize their own point of view. Will my students take part in the story, or will they stay in the background? Below, I share my most recent blog post regarding the concept of empathy. My students are coming at me with stories about deportation, incarceration, death. I need to do more than listen. I need to show a caring, compassionate, an understanding attitude. They can follow my lead.