Roots of Empathy

Roots of Empathy’s mission is to build caring, peaceful, and civil societies through the development of empathy in children and adults.

Roots of Empathy is an evidence-based classroom programme that has shown significant effect in reducing levels of aggression among school children while raising social/emotional competence and increasing empathy.

At the heart of the programme are a local parent and their baby who visit the classroom every three weeks over the school year. A trained Roots of Empathy Instructor coaches the children 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. The “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 physically, psychologically and emotionally hurt each other through bullying and other cruelties. In the Roots of Empathy program children learn how to challenge cruelty and injustice. Messages of social inclusion and activities that are consensus building contribute to a culture of caring that changes the tone of the classroom. The instructor also visits before and after each family visit to prepare and reinforce teachings using a specialised lesson plan for each visit. Research results from national and international evaluations of Roots of Empathy indicate significant reductions in aggression and increases in pro-social behaviour.

At Holy Trinity we run this programme in Year 3.