Roots of Empathy

Last updated
Roots of Empathy
Founded1996
Founder Mary Gordon
TypeEducational
Focus Society, Crime prevention
Headquarters Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Location
  • Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Area served
All provinces of Canada
Website https://rootsofempathy.org/

Roots of Empathy (ROE) is an evidence-based classroom program that started in Toronto, Canada. The program consists of guided observations of an infant's development and emotions by elementary school children. The project began in 1996, and was established by Mary Gordon, [1] a Canadian social entrepreneur and educator. The project has since expanded to 11 different countries.

Contents

Method

The program consists of weekly classes with a Roots of Empathy instructor throughout the school year. The program consists of a classroom visit from a neighbourhood baby and parent every three weeks. The curriculum is divided into nine themes, with three classroom visits supporting each theme (a pre-family visit, family visit and post-family visit) for a total of 27 classes. Each of the nine themes is further broken down into four age ranges in primary schools. [2]

Babies are between two and four months old at the beginning of the program.

The children are sat around the parent, baby and instructor. The baby's development and growth, along with the verbal and non-verbal interactions between the parent and the baby, are observed. Students are asked to complete both classroom curriculum tasks, such as measuring the height and weight of the baby and reading with the baby, and tasks designed to improve emotional intelligence, such as reflecting on their feelings about the interactions and on their classmates' displays of emotions. [2]

Research and evaluation

A cluster, randomized controlled field trial on the ROE program in 2011 in Manitoba demonstrated that children in program classrooms in contrast to the control classrooms exhibited that children in program classrooms in contrast to the control classrooms had reduced physical and indirect aggressive behavior (including bullying) and increased prosocial behavior, such as sharing. A follow-up study showed the decrease in aggression lasted up to three years. [3] A study using a quasi-experimental control-group conducted in Vancouver and Toronto in 2012 found similar results, and that children had an improved understanding of infant crying. [4]

Availability and growth

The program is currently available in every province of Canada. [5] In 2007, the program expanded internationally to New Zealand and the United States (Seattle, WA). It expanded to Northern Ireland in 2011, [6] and London, England in 2012. [7] Roots of Empathy has since been introduced to 11 countries including Scotland, Wales, Republic of Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Costa Rica and the Netherlands in the fall of 2018. The curriculum has been translated into French, German, Spanish and Dutch.

Cost and funding

In 2020, the average cost, without accounting for training costs, for the year-long Roots of Empathy program is $440 (CAD) per child – an average cost per class of $1000 (CAD). [5] Roots of Empathy is funded by government grants, foundation funding, and corporate and individual donations.

Recognition

In July 2008, the Assembly of First Nations, at their Annual General Assembly, passed Resolution 31 endorsing and supporting ROE and SOE as programs compatible with traditional First Nations teachings. [1] In 2017, Roots of Empathy was recognized as one of the most inspiring global innovations in K–12 education [8] by the Finnish organization HundrED.org. [9] UpSocial selected Roots of Empathy as the winner of its social innovation competition Accelerating Change for Social Inclusion (ASCI) to address the risk to children of social exclusion. [10]

Related Research Articles

Teasing has multiple meanings and uses. In human interactions, teasing exists in three major forms: playful, hurtful, and educative. Teasing can have a variety of effects, depending on how it is used and its intended effect. When teasing is unwelcome, it may be regarded as harassment or mobbing, especially in the workplace and school, or as a form of bullying or emotional abuse. If done in public, it may be regarded as humiliation. Teasing can also be regarded as educative when it is used as a way of informal learning. Adults in some of the Indigenous American communities often tease children to playfully illustrate and teach them how their behavior negatively affects the community. Children in many Indigenous American communities also learn by observing what others do in addition to collaborating with them. Along with teasing, this form of informal learning is different from the ways that Western American children learn. Informal ways of child learning include mutual responsibility, as well as active collaboration with adults and peers. This differentiates from the more formal way of learning because it is not adult-oriented.

Sympathy is the perception of, understanding of, and reaction to the distress or need of another life form.

School violence includes violence between school students as well as attacks by students on school staff. It encompasses physical violence, including student-on-student fighting, corporal punishment; psychological violence such as verbal abuse, and sexual violence, including rape and sexual harassment. It includes many forms of bullying and carrying weapons in school. The one or more perpetrators typically have more physical, social, and/or psychological power than the victim. It is widely believed by society to have become a serious problem in recent decades in many countries, especially where weapons such as guns or knives are involved.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Social behavior</span> Behavior among two or more organisms within the same species

Social behavior is behavior among two or more organisms within the same species, and encompasses any behavior in which one member affects the other. This is due to an interaction among those members. Social behavior can be seen as similar to an exchange of goods, with the expectation that when you give, you will receive the same. This behavior can be affected by both the qualities of the individual and the environmental (situational) factors. Therefore, social behavior arises as a result of an interaction between the two—the organism and its environment. This means that, in regards to humans, social behavior can be determined by both the individual characteristics of the person, and the situation they are in.

Relational aggression, alternative aggression, or relational bullying is a type of aggression in which harm is caused by damaging someone's relationships or social status.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inclusion (education)</span> Where disabled students spend most of their time with non-disabled students

Inclusion in education refers to all students being able to access and gain equal opportunities to education and learning. It arose in the context of special education with an individualized education program or 504 plan, and is built on the notion that it is more effective for students with special needs to have the said mixed experience for them to be more successful in social interactions leading to further success in life. The philosophy behind the implementation of the inclusion model does not prioritize, but still provides for the utilization of special classrooms and special schools for the education of students with disabilities. Inclusive education models are brought into force by educational administrators with the intention of moving away from seclusion models of special education to the fullest extent practical, the idea being that it is to the social benefit of general education students and special education students alike, with the more able students serving as peer models and those less able serving as motivation for general education students to learn empathy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humane education</span> Education that nurtures compassion and respect for living beings

Humane education is broadly defined as education that nurtures compassion and respect for living beings In addition to focusing on the humane treatment of non-human animals, humane education also increasingly contains content related to the environment, the compassionate treatment of other people, and the interconnectedness of issues pertaining to people and the planet. Humane education encourages cognitive, affective, and behavioral growth through personal development of critical thinking, problem solving, perspective-taking, and empathy as it relates to people, animals, the planet, and the intersections among them. Education taught through the lens of humane pedagogy supports more than knowledge acquisition, it allows learners to process personal values and choose prosocial behaviors aligned with those values.

Emotional and behavioral disorders refer to a disability classification used in educational settings that allows educational institutions to provide special education and related services to students who have displayed poor social and/or academic progress.

Online Disinhibition Effect is the lack of restraint one feels when communicating online in comparison to communicating in-person. People feel safer saying things online which they would not say in real life because they have the ability to remain completely anonymous and invisible behind the computer screen. Apart from anonymity, other factors such as asynchronous communication, empathy deficit, or individual personality and cultural factors also contribute to online disinhibition. The manifestations of such an effect could be in both positive and negative directions. Thus online disinhibition could be classified as either benign disinhibition or toxic disinhibition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">School bullying</span> Type of bullying in an educational setting

School bullying, like bullying outside the school context, refers to one or more perpetrators who have greater physical strength or more social power than their victim and who repeatedly act aggressively toward their victim. Bullying can be verbal or physical. Bullying, with its ongoing character, is distinct from one-off types of peer conflict. Different types of school bullying include ongoing physical, emotional, and/or verbal aggression. Cyberbullying and sexual bullying are also types of bullying. Bullying even exists in higher education. There are warning signs that suggest that a child is being bullied, a child is acting as a bully, or a child has witnessed bullying at school.

Prosocial behavior, or intent to benefit others, is a social behavior that "benefit[s] other people or society as a whole", "such as helping, sharing, donating, co-operating, and volunteering". Obeying the rules and conforming to socially accepted behaviors are also regarded as prosocial behaviors. These actions may be motivated by empathy and by concern about the welfare and rights of others, as well as for egoistic or practical concerns, such as one's social status or reputation, hope for direct or indirect reciprocity, or adherence to one's perceived system of fairness. It may also be motivated by altruism, though the existence of pure altruism is somewhat disputed, and some have argued that this falls into philosophical rather than psychological realm of debate. Evidence suggests that pro sociality is central to the well-being of social groups across a range of scales, including schools. Prosocial behavior in the classroom can have a significant impact on a student's motivation for learning and contributions to the classroom and larger community. In the workplace, prosocial behaviour can have a significant impact on team psychological safety, as well as positive indirect effects on employee's helping behaviors and task performance. Empathy is a strong motive in eliciting prosocial behavior, and has deep evolutionary roots.

Ervin Staub is a professor of psychology, emeritus, at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is the founding director of the doctoral program on the psychology of peace and violence. He is most known for his works on helping behavior and altruism, and on the psychology of mass violence and genocide. He was born in Hungary and received his Ph.D. from Stanford. He later taught at Harvard University. He worked in many settings, both conducting research and applying his research and theory. He worked in schools to raise caring and non-violent children, and to promote active bystandership by students in response to bullying, in the Netherlands to improve Dutch-Muslim relations, in Rwanda, Burundi and the Congo to promote healing and reconciliation. He has served as an expert witness, for example, at the Abu Ghraib trials, lectured widely on topics related to his work in academic, public, and government settings in the U.S. and other countries, and is the recipient of numerous honors.

Mary Gordon, C.M., B.A., is a Canadian educator, social entrepreneur, child advocate and parenting expert. She is the founder and president of both Roots of Empathy and Seeds of Empathy, non-profit evidence-based programs dedicated to promoting emotional literacy and empathy among children.

In psychology, manipulation is defined as subterfuge designed to influence or control another, usually in a manner which facilitates one's personal aims. The methods used distort or orient the interlocutor's perception of reality, in particular through seduction, suggestion, persuasion and non-voluntary or consensual submission. Definitions for the term vary in which behavior is specifically included, influenced by both culture and whether referring to the general population or used in clinical contexts. Manipulation is generally considered a dishonest form of social influence as it is used at the expense of others.

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Children's rights education is the teaching and practice of children's rights in schools, educational programmes or institutions, as informed by and consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. When fully implemented, a children's rights education program consists of both a curriculum to teach children their human rights, and framework to operate the school in a manner that respects children's rights. Articles 29 and 42 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child require children to be educated about their rights.

Bullying is abusive social interaction between peers can include aggression, harassment, and violence. Bullying is typically repetitive and enacted by those who are in a position of power over the victim. A growing body of research illustrates a significant relationship between bullying and emotional intelligence.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Social–emotional learning</span> Education practice

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References

  1. 1 2 Government of Manitoba (Aug 16, 2023). "Roots of Empathy | Child and Youth Programs| Province of Manitoba". www.gov.mb.ca. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  2. 1 2 "Roots of Empathy". Roots of Empathy. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  3. Schonert-Reichl, Kimberly A.; Smith, Veronica; Zaidman-Zait, Anat; Hertzman, Clyde (2011-10-04). "Promoting Children's Prosocial Behaviors in School: Impact of the "Roots of Empathy" Program on the Social and Emotional Competence of School-Aged Children". School Mental Health. 4 (1): 1–21. doi:10.1007/s12310-011-9064-7. ISSN   1866-2625.
  4. Santos, Robert; Chartier, Mariette; Whalen, Jeanne; Chateau, Dan; Boyd, Leanne (2011-05-04). "Effectiveness of School-Based Violence Prevention for Children and Youth: A Research Report". Healthcare Quarterly. 14 (sp2): 80–91. doi: 10.12927/hcq.2011.22367 . ISSN   1929-6347.
  5. 1 2 Canada, Public Safety (2018-12-21). "Crime Prevention Inventory". www.publicsafety.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  6. "Roots of Empathy | HSC Public Health Agency". www.publichealth.hscni.net. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  7. "Roots of Empathy in the UK". early years alliance. 2018-03-14. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  8. "Empathy is the Only Way to Stop the Cycle of Bullying and Abuse". 28 February 2018.
  9. "HundrED". 22 November 2021.
  10. "Buscar | UpSocial".