Roots of Empathy

Roots of Empathy is an international evidence-based program that increases sharing, caring, helping, and engaged citizenship, emotional resilience and well-being in grade school children. The heart of the program is a baby as a "Tiny Teacher" of empathy.

https://us.rootsofempathy.org/

We are looking for volunteer instructors and parent(s) with a new baby who would love to participate next school year! 

Participating Local Schools:

• Bellingham Public Elementary Schools
• Ferndale School District
• Blaine Primary School
• Mt Baker School District

Volunteer Instructors

You will get the chance to facilitate in a grades school classroom weekly starting in the fall and going to the end of the school year. There are 27 visits total: a curriculum of 9 themes, 3 sessions per theme: and a pre-family visit, family classroom visit with baby, and post-family visit.

• All Instructors are matched for the year with a volunteer family, a classroom of students and their teacher and a mentor who will support them in and out of the classroom.

• Attend a 3 day training (dates TBD, usually first part of October) and a 4th day mid-way through the school year.

• Total time commitment is about  2 1/2 hours per week with prep time, travel, classroom visit, mentor check ins.

Volunteer Families are any parent(s) or primary care giver and baby 2-4 months at the start of Roots of Empathy classes (end of Sept/October).

Every diversity of baby and family system is welcome and valued.  This is an invitation to community and connection over the winter months! 

• Parent(s) and baby ('Tiny Teacher') visit a classroom 9 times (once a month) for about 30 minutes over the school year with the Roots of Empathy Instructor. They join the students and their classroom teacher around a green blanket (germ boundaries/space for the baby). The students learn about their own and each other’s emotions by learning about the baby's emotions. And celebrate milestones!