Roots Of Empathy is a
Teaching Institutions Charity located in Toronto, ON.
Services Provided by Roots Of Empathy
Roots of Empathy is an evidence-based classroom program that has shown dramatic effect in reducing the levels of aggression among schoolchildren by raising social/emotional competence and increasing empathy. The program reaches elementary schoolchildren from Kindergarten to Grade 8. At the heart of the program are a neighbourhood infant and parent who visit the classroom every three weeks over the school year. A trained ROE instructor coaches students to observe the baby's development and to label the baby's feelings. In this experimental learning, the baby is the "Teacher" and a lever, which the instructor uses to help children identify and reflect on their own feelings and the feelings of others. This "emotional literacy" taught in the program lays the foundation for more safe and caring classrooms, where children are the "Changers". They are more competent in understanding their own feelings and the feelings of others (empathy) and are therefore less likely to physically, psychologically and emotionally hurt each other through bullying and other cruelties. In the ROE program children learn how to challenge cruelty and injustice. Seeds of Empathy is Roots of Empathy's "younger sibling". It is a program that fosters social and emotional competencies and early literacy skills and attitudes in children three to five years of age in Early Childhood settings.
