Roots of Empathy

Roots of Empathy is a Canadian educational organization and classroom program focused on children's emotional literacy, empathy, and prosocial behavior. It began in Toronto in 1996 through the work of Mary Gordon, a Canadian social entrepreneur and educator. Rather than teaching empathy solely through abstract lessons, the program uses the development of a real infant as a central learning experience. Elementary-school students observe a neighborhood baby, the baby's parent, and a trained instructor, then connect the baby's changing abilities and emotional expressions to their own feelings and relationships with others. The standard program is delivered over a school year through weekly classroom sessions. Approximately every three weeks, the parent and infant visit the classroom, while the instructor leads preparatory and follow-up lessons between visits. The curriculum is organized into nine themes, with three sessions associated with each theme: a pre-family visit, a family visit, and a post-family visit. This produces 27 classes in the core sequence. Babies generally enter the program between two and four months of age, allowing students to observe early physical, cognitive, and emotional development over time. Students take part in both observational and reflective activities. They may measure the baby's height and weight, read to the baby, and discuss developmental changes. They are also encouraged to identify and interpret emotional signals, consider the meaning of crying and other nonverbal behavior, and reflect on how their own emotions and the emotions of classmates affect classroom relationships. The program is intended to strengthen emotional understanding while also addressing aggression, bullying, social exclusion, and the development of caring behavior. Research cited in relation to Roots of Empathy includes a 2011 cluster randomized controlled trial in Manitoba. That evaluation reported lower physical and indirect aggression, including bullying, and higher prosocial behavior among participating students than among students in control classrooms. A later follow-up reported that the reduction in aggression persisted for as long as three years. A 2012 quasi-experimental study in Vancouver and Toronto reported comparable behavioral findings and improved student understanding of infant crying. These evaluations are a significant part of the program's evidence-based positioning, although outcomes can depend on implementation, classroom context, and the quality of local delivery. Roots of Empathy initially expanded throughout Canada and subsequently developed an international presence. Its international rollout included New Zealand and Seattle in the United States in 2007, Northern Ireland in 2011, and London, England, in 2012. By autumn 2018, the program had been introduced in 11 countries, including parts of the United Kingdom and Ireland as well as Germany, Switzerland, Costa Rica, and the Netherlands. The curriculum has been translated into French, German, Spanish, and Dutch. The program has also received recognition from education and social-innovation organizations, including HundrED and UpSocial, and support from the Assembly of First Nations through a 2008 resolution endorsing Roots of Empathy and Seeds of Empathy as compatible with traditional First Nations teachings. The organization is funded through a combination of government grants, foundation support, and corporate and individual donations. A 2020 estimate cited an average program cost of approximately CAD 440 per child for the year-long program, excluding training costs, or about CAD 1,000 per class. Roots of Empathy is therefore positioned less as a conventional commercial education brand than as a social-impact program delivered through schools and community or public-sector partnerships. Its core offering remains the structured infant-observation curriculum and the training and support required for instructors to deliver it.

Roots of Empathy was established in Toronto, Canada, in 1996 by Mary Gordon, a social entrepreneur and educator. Its founding idea was to make empathy and emotional understanding concrete for children by placing the development of a real infant at the center of classroom learning. Students do not merely study child development through books or diagrams; they repeatedly observe a baby and parent, interpret their interaction, and relate those observations to their own emotional lives and behavior toward peers. The core program developed as a school-year intervention for elementary students. A trained Roots of Empathy instructor visits the classroom weekly, while a neighborhood parent and infant join the class approximately every three weeks. The sequence begins when the infant is usually between two and four months old. Across 27 classes, students work through nine curriculum themes, each supported by a preparation lesson, a family visit, and a follow-up lesson. Activities combine direct observation, developmental measurement, reading and communication exercises, and guided discussion about feelings, attachment, communication, and relationships. The program's educational model treats the infant as a catalyst for social and emotional learning. Students are asked to notice how the baby communicates before speech, how the parent responds, and how the baby's abilities change. They then use these observations to discuss crying, frustration, care, cooperation, and the emotional signals displayed by classmates. The intended outcomes include greater empathy and emotional literacy, along with reductions in aggression and bullying and increases in sharing and other prosocial behavior. Roots of Empathy's public profile has been supported by evaluation research. A cluster randomized controlled trial conducted in Manitoba in 2011 reported that students in Roots of Empathy classrooms showed less physical and indirect aggression and more prosocial behavior than students in control classrooms. A subsequent follow-up found that the reduction in aggression could remain visible for up to three years. A separate quasi-experimental study in Vancouver and Toronto in 2012 reported similar behavioral patterns and found that participating students had a stronger understanding of infant crying. These studies helped establish the program's evidence-based identity, while also placing it within the broader field of school-based social-emotional learning. Expansion beyond Canada began in 2007, when Roots of Empathy was introduced in New Zealand and in Seattle, Washington. It later reached Northern Ireland in 2011 and London in 2012. By the autumn of 2018, the program had been introduced in 11 countries, including Scotland, Wales, the Republic of Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Costa Rica, and the Netherlands. Translation of the curriculum into French, German, Spanish, and Dutch supported this wider deployment. Within Canada, the program became available in every province. The organization also developed recognition and support among education and social-impact institutions. In July 2008, the Assembly of First Nations passed a resolution endorsing and supporting Roots of Empathy and Seeds of Empathy as programs compatible with traditional First Nations teachings. In 2017, Finnish education organization HundrED listed Roots of Empathy among notable global innovations in K–12 education. UpSocial selected it as the winner of its Accelerating Change for Social Inclusion competition, which addressed children's risk of social exclusion. Roots of Empathy is not described as a publicly listed company or as part of a large corporate group. Its funding model relies on government grants, foundation funding, and corporate and individual donations. A 2020 cost estimate placed the average cost of the year-long program at approximately CAD 440 per child, excluding training, with an average classroom cost of about CAD 1,000. The organization therefore operates primarily as a mission-driven educational program provider. Its central institutional challenge is likely to be maintaining trained instructors, school partnerships, family participation, and evidence-informed delivery as it scales across different countries and educational systems, although the available reference material does not provide a detailed current operating profile.

• 2018

  Program reaches 11 countries

  [1]Roots of Empathyen.wikipedia.org

  By autumn 2018, the program has been introduced in 11 countries and translated into several European languages.

• 2017

  HundrED recognition

  [1]Roots of Empathyen.wikipedia.org

  HundrED recognizes Roots of Empathy as an inspiring global K–12 education innovation.

• 2012

  Expansion to London

  [1]Roots of Empathyen.wikipedia.org

  Roots of Empathy is introduced in London, England.

• 2011

  Manitoba randomized evaluation

  [1]Roots of Empathyen.wikipedia.org

  A cluster randomized controlled trial reports lower aggression and higher prosocial behavior in participating classrooms.

• 2011

  Expansion to Northern Ireland

  [1]Roots of Empathyen.wikipedia.org

  The program extends its international presence to Northern Ireland.

• 2008

  Assembly of First Nations resolution

  [1]Roots of Empathyen.wikipedia.org

  The Assembly of First Nations endorses Roots of Empathy and Seeds of Empathy as compatible with traditional First Nations teachings.

• 2007

  First international expansion

  [1]Roots of Empathyen.wikipedia.org

  Roots of Empathy is introduced in New Zealand and Seattle, Washington.

• 1996

  Roots of Empathy begins in Toronto

  [1]Roots of Empathyen.wikipedia.org

  Mary Gordon establishes the classroom-based empathy program in Toronto, Canada.

An evidence-based, experiential social-emotional learning program using infant development and parent-child interaction to teach empathy, emotional literacy, and prosocial behavior.

• School-based social-emotional learning program · 1996

  Roots of Empathy

  The flagship school-year curriculum uses weekly instructor-led lessons and recurring visits from a local parent and infant. Students observe infant development and parent-child communication, complete developmental and classroom activities, and discuss emotions, empathy, crying, relationships, aggression, and prosocial conduct. The standard structure contains nine themes and 27 classes, with a pre-visit lesson, family visit, and follow-up lesson supporting each theme.

• Early-childhood social-emotional learning program

  Seeds of Empathy

  Seeds of Empathy is a related program associated with Roots of Empathy and referenced in the Assembly of First Nations' 2008 endorsement. The available reference material does not provide enough detail to describe its age range, lesson structure, current markets, or present availability more precisely.

• 2017HundrED global education innovation recognition

  International

  HundrED highlighted Roots of Empathy among global innovations in K–12 education.

  Outcome. The recognition increased the program's visibility as an innovative education model.

  Source
• 2008Assembly of First Nations endorsement

  Canada

  Roots of Empathy and Seeds of Empathy received support through a resolution of the Assembly of First Nations, which characterized the programs as compatible with traditional First Nations teachings.

  Outcome. The resolution provided institutional recognition and support within a Canadian Indigenous leadership context.

  Source
• UpSocial Accelerating Change for Social Inclusion

  International

  UpSocial selected Roots of Empathy as the winner of its social-innovation competition addressing children's risk of social exclusion.

  Outcome. The program received recognition as a social innovation focused on inclusion and children's social development.

  Source

• 2018

  Expand multilingual deliveryStrategy

  Background

  International implementation required adaptation of the curriculum for additional language and education-system contexts.

  Action taken

  Roots of Empathy made curriculum versions available in French, German, Spanish, and Dutch while continuing international rollout.

  Aftermath

  The program was reported as operating across 11 countries by autumn 2018.

  Source

• 2007

  Begin international program expansionStrategy

  Background

  After developing in Canada, Roots of Empathy began extending its classroom model beyond the Canadian market.

  Action taken

  The organization introduced the program in New Zealand and Seattle, Washington, followed by further expansion into the United Kingdom, Ireland, Europe, and Costa Rica.

  Aftermath

  By autumn 2018, the program had reached 11 countries and had been translated into French, German, Spanish, and Dutch.

  Source

• 2017

  Roots of Empathy receives HundrED education recognition[1]Roots of Empathyen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  HundrED identified Roots of Empathy as an inspiring global innovation in K–12 education.

• 2012

  Roots of Empathy expands to London, England[1]Roots of Empathyen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The program entered London as part of its continuing international rollout.

• 2011

  Roots of Empathy expands to Northern Ireland[1]Roots of Empathyen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The program extended its international delivery network to Northern Ireland.

• 2008

  Assembly of First Nations endorses Roots of Empathy and Seeds of Empathy[1]Roots of Empathyen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Assembly of First Nations passed a resolution supporting the programs as compatible with traditional First Nations teachings.

• 2007

  Roots of Empathy expands to New Zealand and the United States[1]Roots of Empathyen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The program began international expansion with implementations in New Zealand and Seattle, Washington.

• Roots of Empathy wins UpSocial social-innovation competition[1]Roots of Empathyen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  UpSocial selected Roots of Empathy as the winner of its Accelerating Change for Social Inclusion competition, focused on reducing children's risk of social exclusion.

1. 1Roots of Empathyen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Roots of Empathy official websiterootsofempathy.org