Angela Dawson

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Roots of Empathy (ROE) provides a unique experiential journey into the development of a baby during the first year of life.

Not only do students track the baby’s physical, cognitive, and social development, but they also learn about the baby’s emotions as the baby expresses them spontaneously throughout the year. By learning the names of the baby’s emotions and understanding when they shared those same emotions, children become emotionally literate and better able to read the emotional cues of others. As students are coached to observe the baby’s reactions to situations, they are taught about the temperament traits that the baby exhibits.

The ROE Instructor supports the children in identifying their own unique temperament traits, which helps them understand themselves and their classmates. This is a contributing factor to why students in ROE classrooms help more and hurt less - because they understand more and care more.

#RootsofEmpathy #ResearchThursday

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Training season is here!

New Roots of Empathy (ROE) Instructors are preparing to bring the program into classrooms, where children will discover the power of empathy. With every Instructor trained, more children will have the chance to learn from their ‘Tiny Teacher’ and carry empathy into their schools, families, and communities.

In this training, the Roots of Empathy father helps instructors recognize the value of giving students a male perspective to counter some of the portrayals of masculinity on social media.

We’re excited to welcome a new group of changers into the Roots of Empathy family. 💚

Interested in participating? Sign up to become an Instructor: https://t.co/crspA9D54e

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Roots of Empathy classrooms are joyful places to learn 💚

Students who develop empathy will build caring, peaceful, and civil societies fit for them to grow up in, and prepared for their Roots of Empathy Baby to thrive.

Donate now: https://t.co/lDhEZcPh5x

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Roots of Empathy is a trauma-informed program, endorsed by Dr. Bruce Perry - one of the world’s top childhood trauma experts.

The pandemic years will likely be remembered for their deep impact on children’s development—and on how we see and relate to one another. While the pandemic intensified children’s anxiety, social media has also played a major role in its rise.

In Roots of Empathy classrooms, children learn to regulate their emotions, giving them the space to focus and fully engage in learning. The program also nurtures resilience, helping children navigate life’s challenges with confidence. 💚

🌐 https://t.co/aufipDcPbK

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Empathy is regarded as the ultimate human trait.

It has a positive association with prosocial behaviours such as sharing, helping, and cooperating, and plays a crucial role in the development and maintenance of interpersonal relationships (Laible et al., 2004).

#RootsofEmpathy #TestimonialTuesday #EmpathyMatters #LoveGrowsBrains

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Our “Tiny Teachers” are sung into the classroom with the same welcome song on every visit. It’s a simple ritual, full of warmth, joy, and connection. Each child gets a turn to meet the baby up close and gently cuddle their tiny, bare feet. This same ritual happens at the end of every class with a goodbye song.

Children in Roots of Empathy classrooms discuss the neuroscience of how the baby learns, the role of the parent and come to understand what we mean by “Love grows brains™”

#RootsofEmpathy #EmpathyMatters #Education #LoveGrowsBrains

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

📣 Exciting news! Mary Gordon, Founder, President, and CEO of Roots of Empathy, will be a featured speaker at the 3rd International HKL Conference in #Abbotsford this Saturday, Aug 2.

In her talk “Empathy is the base of our humanity”, Mary will explore how empathy is foundational for living a life guided by humility, kindness, and love. She will share how nurturing emotional literacy from an early age helps children grow into empathic individuals and build more caring, peaceful, and civil societies.

The event will take place both in person and online. Get your tickets now at: https://t.co/2xmhcTVBcj

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Hoping to reconnect with @jacindaardern 💚 Roots of Empathy turns 30 next year. We’d love to celebrate with you again - our Tiny Teachers are waiting!

#ROE30

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Can empathy improve mental health, reduce bullying, and strengthen communities?

A study across 15 schools in Western Australia found that Roots of Empathy made a measurable difference for students, teachers, and communities.

Key outcomes:
🔹 An increase in prosocial behaviours.
🔹 A decrease in bullying and aggression.
🔹 An increase in empathy.
🔹 Improvements in emotional literacy.
🔹 Better mental health and well-being.
🔹 Strong partnership and community building.
🔹 An understanding of child development.

Research continues to show empathy is a catalyst for change.

📖 Learn more about the evidence behind our impact: https://t.co/AOsk5zpUkl

#RootsofEmpathy #ResearchThursday

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

What does empathy look like in action?

One incredible Alberta dad drove 1.5 hours, nine times over the school year, to bring Baby Louie into not one, but two Roots of Empathy classrooms: Grade 1 and Grade 5.

His presence offered a powerful example of a nurturing father. When children see men who are emotionally connected to their babies and readily able to talk to them about being a father, it makes a lasting impact.

Children engage in guided experiential learning like this with Baby Louie and his father, and neuroscientists tell us that this kind of learning is deep and lasting. Research shows that children in Roots of Empathy classrooms develop empathy, leading to reduced aggression and bullying, which lasts over time, along with an increase in prosocial behaviors like sharing, helping, and including others.

Being exposed to empathic models of fathering in childhood is part of our BoysCare™ strategy.

#RootsofEmpathy #LoveGrowsBrains #BoysCare #ModelEmpathy #EarlyChildhoodDevelopment

@ABSchoolBoards @ABChildServices

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Roots of Empathy Babies are at the heart of our program, nurturing empathy and understanding in every tiny interaction 💚

92% of volunteer ROE parents strongly agreed or agreed that seeing the children interact with their baby gave them more hope for the next generation of citizens.

Join us in nurturing empathy 🌱 For more information on our volunteer opportunities, visit: https://t.co/vYsXU2Hne2

#RootsofEmpathy

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

In Roots of Empathy, students discover the power of expressing their feelings in a supportive environment. By sharing emotions, they build a strong foundation of self-awareness and empathy, which helps them to make and keep friends.

Having a friend supports children's wellbeing 🌱

Help us grow the next generation of empathic leaders—donate today: https://t.co/z63wmj7jnH

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Every book opens a door—but the earliest ones open hearts. 💚📚

This #WorldBookDay, we’re celebrating the power of both literacy and emotional literacy—because learning to read and learning to relate go hand in hand.

Faces of Tomorrow by Mary Gordon is a board book babies love to kiss. It’s also a celebration of powerful parenting, with text in five languages: English, French, Spanish, Punjabi, and Chinese: https://t.co/bstf2VwicB

#RootsofEmpathy #FacesofTomorrow #EmotionalLiteracy #WorldBookDay2025

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Wise words from our Founder, Mary Gordon: Empathy can’t be ordered up—it grows through the relationships children experience. It isn’t taught—it’s caught.

At Roots of Empathy, we make those close moments between baby and parent visible in the classroom, so children can discover what it means to love, understand, and care for one another. The secure attachment between baby and parent is a living example of empathy.

That’s how cycles of violence shift—and how understanding takes root.

#RootsofEmpathy #EmpathyMatters #WisdomWednesday #EmotionalLiteracy

[Merrylee Primary @MerryleePS]

Our very own Mrs A was there championing early years education and what her studies have her to achieve. 🤩 #alwayslearning #merryleemarvel

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

A classroom filled with big feelings is also a classroom filled with big opportunities for growth.

This Host Classroom teacher saw firsthand how Roots of Empathy helped their students find their voice. When children feel safe to express their emotions, they develop confidence—not just in speaking up for themselves, but in advocating for others.

Empathy grows when children are heard, and that can change the way they navigate the world.

#RootsofEmpathy

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Babies are like everybody else with a full range of emotions. Babies may feel lonely, frightened, anxious, confused, and frustrated, and children in Roots of Empathy can list dozens of feelings babies might have. This leads them to respect the humanity of the baby, and it is a protective factor against child abuse if students become parents 🌱

#RootsofEmpathy #Empathy #EmotionalLiteracy

[Merrylee Primary @MerryleePS]

To all our families observing Ramadan, we wish you a peaceful and blessed Ramadan. #RamadanMubarak

[Dan Wuori @DanWuori]

Want your child to take an interest in literacy?

Remember that in child development you reap what you sow.

Daily reading (ideally configured face-to-face) is a wonderful way to plant the seeds of language and literacy with your baby from their earliest days.

Not only will reading together substantially boost your child’s vocabulary over time, but it illustrates a powerful lesson: this is something YOU value and enjoy.

And as I’ve written a thousand times, your baby wants nothing more than to be just like you.

Don’t be discouraged as you get started. Infants have very short attention spans and will initially spend more time attuned to you than the book (hence the face to face), and may seek to explore books first with their mouths (which is why sturdy, laminated board books are a great first choice).

Don’t let any of this deter you. Start small. But start. And make reading a part of your daily routine.

As this lovely video shared to IG by sophia.s.playroom illustrates, the benefits can be huge.

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Family shapes the way we love, connect, and understand the world around us. On Family Day, we celebrate the moments—big and small—that remind us of the strength and warmth in our closest relationships 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Empathy begins here—in the parent-baby relationship, where it is caught, not taught, through everyday interactions.

#RootsofEmpathy #FamilyDay