FROM AN «EMOTIONAL WAVE» TO A «PROFESSIONAL RADAR»: DEVELOPING EMPATHY IN PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Abstract

The article addresses the current issue of the purposeful development of professional empathy in pre-service teachers as part of their preparation for work in inclusive education. The author argues that in the contemporary VUCA world (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity), empathy is ceasing to be just a soft skill and is becoming a hard professional requirement (hard skill) necessary for designing a personalized educational environment.

The paper presents a detailed analysis of the evolution of the concept of «empathy» – from its philosophical origins to modern psychological classifications (emotional, cognitive, aesthetic, professional, etc.). Special attention is paid to T.I. Pashukova's model, where empathy is considered as a path from an unconscious emotional reaction to conscious professional mastery.

The central part of the article is devoted to the description of the author's methodology, based on the metaphorical analysis of the short animated film «Piper». The methodology is implemented in the format of a project workshop and represents a system of practical tasks corresponding to different types and levels of empathy. These tasks are aimed at transforming the key images of the cartoon (the Wave, the Mother Sandpiper, the Hermit Crabs, the Puddle, Piper's New Strategy) into specific models of psychological-pedagogical support and the design of an inclusive environment for children with various educational needs (physical disabilities, speech and language disorders, autism spectrum disorder).

Key results include practical tools developed by the students: a criteria-based matrix for peer assessment of metaphors, an adapted guide-algorithm for teachers «From Observation to Inclusion», and a set of tasks for professional self-reflection. It is concluded that the proposed approach allows future teachers not only to abstractly study the principles of inclusion but to «feel them from within», translating theory into a plan of specific actions and developing critical thinking, collaboration, and metaphorical perception necessary for working in the complex, ambiguous conditions of the modern school.