This study explored how adopting an empathy education framework and strategies for teacher empathy modeling and student-centered learning experiences cultivates more empathy in middle school classrooms. This study extended the work of Snead et al. (2016) entitled "Challenge Course Work around Teaching Empathy in the Classroom." Participants reviewed the literature around teacher empathy modeling and infusing student empathy and perspective-taking practices into student-centered learning experiences in middle school classrooms, took part in teacher empathy professional development with an empathy education expert, met in a focus group to practice building teacher empathy capacity, and curated a list of empathy education strategies that could be adopted by teachers and implemented in their respective school's middle school classrooms. The researcher analyzed the data from the empathy education professional development, focus group sessions, and follow-up surveys in response to three research questions: How can the use of student-centered approaches to teaching and learning, coupled with an embedding empathy education framework, cultivate communities of empathy in middle school students and classrooms? How can embedded empathy education professional development help teachers practice important teacher empathy modeling and support cultivating empathetic students and classrooms? How can developing an empathy education framework (or adopting a list of empathy strategies) in the classroom support teachers in cultivating more empathetic student-centered learning experiences in middle school classrooms? After analyzing the data of this study, five themes emerged: (a) deep understanding of young adolescents' student emotions and triggers, (b) being more aware of teacher emotional imprints and triggers, (c) setting intentions and creating conditions for cultivating empathetic classrooms, (d) building teacher empathy capacity, and (e) developing and enlisting an empathy education framework and strategies to strengthen teacher modeling practices and infuse into student-centered learning experiences in the middle school classroom. The implications of these findings support school leaders' and teachers' goal to develop an empathy education framework to support their young adolescents' social-emotional well-being so that they feel safe, known, and cared for, and that embed key empathy education strategies that support student-centered learning experiences--which, in turn, allow teachers to build empathetic classroom culture and the capacity for students to be more empathetic. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]