Surrey Schools invites newborns to Roots of Empathy, teaching kindness and emotional skills to elementary students through monthly classroom visits.
Tiny Teachers Teach Big Lessons
The Surrey School District is looking for its next cohort of “tiny teachers” – newborns aged two to four months – to participate in the Roots of Empathy program this October. The initiative aims to help elementary students develop care, kindness, inclusivity, and social awareness, turning babies into inspiring classroom mentors.
Monthly Visits Shape Emotional Learning
Participating infants, along with their parents, will visit classrooms once a month throughout the school year. Under the guidance of trained Roots of Empathy instructors and teachers, students observe and interact with the babies, learning to recognize and understand emotions—their own and others’—through real-life examples of growth and development.
Proven Impact on Student Behaviour
Roots of Empathy has shown measurable success in improving social-emotional skills while reducing aggression and bullying. Surrey Schools emphasizes that the program helps cultivate empathy, respect, and emotional intelligence among children, laying the foundation for healthier classroom environments.
A Program That Spans Canada and Beyond
Roots of Empathy is active across Canada, reaching students from kindergarten through Grade 8 in English and French schools, including urban, remote, and Indigenous communities. The evidence-based program has also expanded internationally, with pilots in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.
How Parents Can Participate
Parents interested in enrolling their newborns in the program can contact Jordynn Punter, Community-Schools Partnership Facilitator, at punter_j@surreyschools.ca, or Meredith Verma, Program Manager, at verma_meredith@surreyschools.ca. More information is available at rootsofempathy.org.
Growing Empathy, One Baby at a Time
By pairing infants with students, Surrey Schools demonstrates how even the smallest teachers can leave a lasting impact, fostering a generation of children who are kind, aware, and emotionally intelligent.
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