DEVELOPING GRIT, RESILIENCE & EMPATHY: 3 Essential Virtues for the Digital Generation by Emmanuel Mann Rentoy 2022 International Champion for Character of Character.Org Presented in Colombo, Sri Lanka on November 26, 2022

2. LOGO
Now more than ever,
this work of formation is
urgent and important.

3. BEING GOOD, DOING GOOD

4. Even when it is difficult

5. Even when no one is looking

6. Even when others are not

7. The Primacy of Parents
 The family is the first
school of virtue.

8. WHY IS PARENTING HARDER
THAN EVER?
1. Society has changed.
2. Families have changed.
3. The peer group has
changed.

9. BIG IDEA
A societal environment that
does not encourage good
character means parents
and teachers have to be
more vigilant and more
intentional than in past
generations.

10. BIG IDEA
To develop good character
in today’s world, families
and schools must be
countercultural.

11. LOGO
Raise a Generation of
Children with
BiG HEARTS

13. FB Live

14. Followers
Likes

15. Crowdsource

16. IMO

17. Feelings

18. Craving for Constant
Connection (ICYMI)

19. Text Tilt Trauma

21. 60 pounds of
pressure on the neck

22. Dizziness
Neck Pain
Stress
Tiredness
Headache

23. Insatiable need to be
noticed
validated
entertained
Insatiable need to be

24. Greatly decreased
Physical Activity

25. Increased
Waistlines

32. Crisis
in
Character

34. The brain is being fed
“FASTFOOD”

35. Substitute Brain
Thinking in Headlines
Need for Instant Response
(Instant Gratification)
Inability to Memorize

36. We’ve lost the
Art of Handwriting

37. Disorders
Dissatisfaction
Ranting that leads to Regret
Narcissistic Tendencies
Inflated/Deflated Ego
Self-Centered Disposition
Sleep Disorder: Insomnia

38. Disorders
Dizzy Spells
Headaches
Eye Strain
Muscle Pains
Brain Stress

39. Disorders
Cyber Bullying
Indecent Exposures/Scandals
That Have Led to Suicides
Wounded Self-Esteem That
has Led to Depression

40. Digital
Detoxification

41. 10 minutes a day on
social media
=
60 hours a year

44. Delete
Hide
Mute
Block
Take a Break
Unfollow
Unfriend

46. AIRPLANE MODE
is not just for Airplanes.

49. Will connecting at this
moment really help me
achieve my goals?

63. z
5 Ways to
Build
Resilience
inside the
Classroom

64. z
1
Promote self-
reflection through
literary essays or
small-group
discussions.

65. z
www.heroicimagination.org

66. z
Who was the hero in this story? Why?
What challenge or dilemma did the hero
overcome?
What personal strengths did the hero
possess? What choices did he or she
have to make?
How did other people support the hero?
What did the hero learn?
How do we use the same personal
strengths when we overcome obstacles in
our own lives? Can you share some
examples?

67. z
Who was the hero in this story? Why?
What challenge or dilemma did the hero
overcome?
What personal strengths did the hero
possess? What choices did he or she
have to make?
How did other people support the hero?
What did the hero learn?
How do we use the same personal
strengths when we overcome obstacles in
our own lives? Can you share some
examples?

68. z
Who was the hero in this story? Why?
What challenge or dilemma did the hero
overcome?
What personal strengths did the hero
possess? What choices did he or she
have to make?
How did other people support the hero?
What did the hero learn?
How do we use the same personal
strengths when we overcome obstacles in
our own lives? Can you share some
examples?

69. z
Who was the hero in this story? Why?
What challenge or dilemma did the hero
overcome?
What personal strengths did the hero
possess? What choices did he or she
have to make?
How did other people support the hero?
What did the hero learn?
How do we use the same personal
strengths when we overcome obstacles in
our own lives? Can you share some
examples?

70. z
Who was the hero in this story? Why?
What challenge or dilemma did the hero
overcome?
What personal strengths did the hero
possess? What choices did he or she
have to make?
How did other people support the hero?
What did the hero learn?
How do we use the same personal
strengths when we overcome obstacles in
our own lives? Can you share some
examples?

71. z
2
Encourage reflection
through personal
essays.

72. z
Write about a person who
supported you during a
particularly stressful or
traumatic time. How did they
help you overcome this
challenge?

73. z
What did you learn about
yourself?

74. z
Write about a friend that you
supported as he or she went
through a stressful event. What
did you do that most helped
your friend?

75. z
What did you learn about
yourself?

76. z
Write about a time in your life
when you had to cope with a
difficult situation. What helped
and hindered you as you
overcame this challenge?

77. z
What learning did you take
away that will help you in the
future?

78. z
3
 Help children (and
their parents) learn
from student
failures.

79. z
 https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/20
13/01/why-parents-need-to-let-their-children-
fail/272603/

81. z
Create a classroom culture where failure, setbacks,
and disappointment are an expected and honored
part of learning.
Establish and reinforce an atmosphere where
students are praised for their hard work,
perseverance, and grit, not just for grades and easy
successes.
Hold students accountable for producing their own
work, efforts from which they feel ownership and
internal reward.
Educate and assure parents that supporting kids
through failure builds resilience -- one of the best
developmental outcomes that they can give their
children.

82. z
Create a classroom culture where failure, setbacks,
and disappointment are an expected and honored
part of learning.
Establish and reinforce an atmosphere where
students are praised for their hard work,
perseverance, and grit, not just for grades and easy
successes.
Hold students accountable for producing their own
work, efforts from which they feel ownership and
internal reward.
Educate and assure parents that supporting kids
through failure builds resilience -- one of the best
developmental outcomes that they can give their
children.

83. z
Create a classroom culture where failure, setbacks,
and disappointment are an expected and honored
part of learning.
Establish and reinforce an atmosphere where
students are praised for their hard work,
perseverance, and grit, not just for grades and easy
successes.
Hold students accountable for producing their own
work, efforts from which they feel ownership and
internal reward.
Educate and assure parents that supporting kids
through failure builds resilience -- one of the best
developmental outcomes that they can give their
children.

84. z
Create a classroom culture where failure, setbacks,
and disappointment are an expected and honored
part of learning.
Establish and reinforce an atmosphere where
students are praised for their hard work,
perseverance, and grit, not just for grades and easy
successes.
Hold students accountable for producing their own
work, efforts from which they feel ownership and
internal reward.
Educate and assure parents that supporting kids
through failure builds resilience -- one of the best
developmental outcomes that they can give their
children.

85. z
Create a classroom culture where failure, setbacks,
and disappointment are an expected and honored
part of learning.
Establish and reinforce an atmosphere where
students are praised for their hard work,
perseverance, and grit, not just for grades and easy
successes.
Hold students accountable for producing their own
work, efforts from which they feel ownership and
internal reward.
Educate and assure parents that supporting kids
through failure builds resilience -- one of the best
developmental outcomes that they can give their
children.

86. z
4
 Bring discussions
about human
resilience into the
classroom.

87. z
Whatever Subject:
 Political Leaders
 Scientists
 Literary Figures and Characters
 Innovators
 Inventors

88. z
5
 Build supportive
relationships with
students.

90. Identifying
with and
feeling other
people’s
concerns

91. Signs of Empathy

94. Step 1: Foster awareness and
build an Emotional
Vocabulary
Step 2: Enhance Sensitivity
to the Feelings of Others
Step 3: Develop Empathy for
Another Person’s Point of
View

95. Step 1: Foster
awareness
and build an
Emotional
Vocabulary

96. How to Listen with Empathy
Tune in to your student’s feelings
and listen with empathy
Acknowledge what is causing the
emotion
Label how the child is feeling
Kindle a resolution for the child’s
Need

105. Step 2:
Enhance
Sensitivity to
the Feelings
of Others

106. Six Simple
Ways to
Nurture Kids’
Sensitivity

107. 1. Praise sensitive, kind
actions
2. Show the effect of
sensitivity
3. Draw attention to
nonverbal feeling
cues

108. 4. Ask often, “How does
he feel?”
5. Use the formula
“feels + needs”
6. Share why you feel
the way you do.

109. Five Fun Ways to Help Kids
Read Nonverbal Emotions
1. Play “Feeling Charades”
2. Make Comic Mood
Characters
3. Read with Feeling
4. Watch Silent TV
5. Hold a Feeling Lookout

110. Step 1: Foster awareness and
build an Emotional
Vocabulary
Step 2: Enhance Sensitivity
to the Feelings of Others
Step 3: Develop Empathy for
Another Person’s Point of
View

111. Step 3:
Develop
Empathy for
Another
Person’s
Point of View

112. Three Simple Ways to
Increase Children’s
Ability to Take Different
Perspectives

113. 1.Switch Roles to
Feel the Other
Side

114. 2. Walk in My
Shoes

115. 3. Imagine How
the Person Feels