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

Our mission is to build caring, peaceful and civil societies through the development of empathy in children and adults.

Roots of Empathy teaches students about feelings, their own feelings and the feelings of others. A certified Roots of Empathy Instructor visits a classroom every week during the school year. Once a month, from October to June, a parent and baby from the community come to class with the Instructor for a Family Visit. The Instructor uses a curriculum with a lesson plan for each of nine topics, such as crying, sleep and safety, to help the students learn more about their classroom baby.

During the Family Visits the baby is the teacher. Students sit around a green blanket on the floor to watch the baby. The Instructor guides the students in noticing how the baby is growing and changing each month. Students learn how the baby tells the parent what he or she wants, how the parent learns what the baby is feeling and what the baby needs.

For more information click here: www.rootsofempathy.org