They’re likely the youngest educators in the province — the babies who appear in classrooms as part of the Roots of Empathy learning program, that is. They’re almost certainly the most adorable.
Roots of Empathy is a learning program that has parents and their young babies volunteer to spend time in classrooms, ranging from kindergarten to Grade 8, to teach kids about empathy and emotional development.
And although there is a parent and a trained instructor also present, it really is the baby that does the teaching.
It’s a program that has been running since 2013 and is now celebrating its fifth year of success — the program was put on hold in 2017-18, due to the whooping cough outbreak in the city.
Trish Smith first got involved in the program about four years ago with her son, Nathan. This year she returned with her daughter, Kayla.
Kayla, the little one pictured here, is one of the current tiny teachers.“It's really neat to see how each of the kids in the classes connect with the babies and form bonds, as they grow up and watch them reach their milestones,” said Smith.
Daycee Richardson, the community advocate for the program, describes the experience as emotional literacy. By seeing emotions on a much smaller, more expressive face, kids learn to recognize those feelings in both themselves and other people.
It also creates a conversation about emotions and gives kids the words to describe them.
“It helps them have that language to express their own feelings, which we know through research that it lowers levels of aggression,” said Richardson.
By learning these things about themselves, Richardson finds that it helps students with the short-term issue of aggression and bullying, as well as the long-term generational cycle of violence and neglect in families.
This year, four schools in Moose Jaw are hosting a tiny teacher, and Richardson says that there is no lack of interest in the program; there is always a waiting list to be a partner family and both school divisions are eager to participate.
Smith recommends getting involved, as the experience really is one of a kind.
“It’s definitely something to capitalize on and get involved in. It's really neat, as a mom, to watch the relationships between the children and the babies,” said Smith.
Interest in the program is always welcome, and Richardson encourages people to contact her directly at daycee@hillcrestmj.com if they’d like to know more about being a partner family or a volunteer instructor.
