Date of Conferral
3-18-2026
Degree
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
School
Education
Advisor
Katherine Garlough
Abstract
The problem addressed through this study is that recent high school graduates’ perspectives on how teachers practiced empathy as an approach to engage learners have not been explored in an urban school district in a Southern state. Grounded in a conceptual framework that incorporates Kleinfeld’s concept of warm demander pedagogy with Goleman’s emotional intelligence theory, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore recent high school graduates’ perspectives on how teachers practiced empathy as an approach to engage learners in an urban school district in a Southern state. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 recent high school graduates recruited through social media. Thematic analysis yielded the following five themes: recent high school graduates felt engaged by compassionate teachers who fostered trusting relationships, enthusiastic teachers who created connected classrooms, supportive teachers who held them to high expectations, and active teachers who invited discussion and collaboration, whereas recent high school graduates felt disengaged by demanding teachers who seemed not to care about their situations, needs, or views. School leaders might use the results of this study to promote positive social change by providing teacher training and evaluation focused on the practice of teacher empathy, which may strengthen student engagement and model how empathy builds relationships, connects communities, and shapes a more compassionate society.
Recommended Citation
Post, Susanna Michelle, "Recent High School Graduates' Perspectives on the Practice of Teacher Empathy as an Approach to Engage Learners" (2026). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 19733.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/19733
