Teaching empathy in the classroom
Amy Gregson – Times Reporter
A baby is usually the center of attention no matter where you go, but especially so in Debbie Fule’s grade five class at Brentwood Elementary Feb. 22.
As eight-month-old Brett Young sits in the middle of the class all eyes are on him and the students are super excited anytime he comes in close contact with them during their weekly Roots of Empathy class.
“Through the use of a baby we teach the kids about empathy because babies can’t talk so the kids watch for facial expressions, body language and the different cries,” said Kari Jumaga, Roots of Empathy instructor.
The program aims to help the development of empathy among students from kindergarten to grade eight. Jumaga said the program also tries to teach kids about anti-bullying through use of a baby to teach the kids empathy.
These grade five students get the Roots of Empathy program as a part of their health curriculum.
Jumaga comes in once a week for 27 weeks to teach the kids about empathy. There are nine different themes throughout the course of the year. which are given in three week periods.
The first week introduces the class to a topic, whether it be caring and planning, sleeping, safety or emotions.
The second week is their ‘family visit’, when baby Brett and his mother Jennifer come in to answer questions about that week’s topic.
The third week wraps up the topic.
“We have a different baby for each class because each class owns that baby for that duration,” said Jumaga.
The babies have to be between two and four months old when they start the program so the kids can see the development of the baby over the duration of the first year.
The students also track the babies’ weight and height as they grow over the year.
“This is their baby. They look after them. They love to hear about the different stages that [Brett] goes through, the new things he is able to do,” Jumaga said.
Jumaga said the students are unsure at the beginning on the year but once they get used to the program the kids are definitely excited when Brett comes to visit them.
“You would think the girls would be more prone to going towards the baby,” said Jumaga. “All the boys are just ecstatic when Brett comes up to them and laughs with them.”
Fule said she has noticed a change in her students since the Roots of Empathy has started in her classroom.
“These are life-long lessons in learning compassion for others and I’m postivie this will help these children become better citizens in their own communities,” Fule said.
“It is a powerful anti-bullying program that involves students interacting with a local instructor and local families.”
Fule said it is important to create a safe and caring environment in schools and believes the Roots of Empathy program is doing just that.
She also said the lessons the children are taught in Roots of Empathy transfers over into other parts of their curriculum such as math and language arts.
There are five different Roots of Empathy classes in Strathmore right now, two grade five classes at Westmount, a grade five class at Brentwood, a kindergarten class at Trinity Lutheran Academy and a grade one class at Sacred Heart.
There are different curriculums offered for different grade levels.
“We’re hoping it will carry on with them throughout their lives, being more empathetic towards each other and more understanding,” said Jumaga.
The Roots of Empathy program is not only offered across Canada, but also in New Zealand and the United States.