Babies can teach too

News — 08 June 2011

One wouldn’t think that a months-old baby could teach young children so much, but Eloise Marchand and Imogen Roussin prove different.

As part of the Roots of Empathy program, these two toddlers have been attending school once a month since shortly after birth.

“We use the baby as the teacher, with that first year being the hugest in their growth, both in mind and body,” said Calista Livingston, Roots of Empathy Coordinator.

Founded in Canada, the Roots of Empathy program is a curriculum-based program that is instilled into the schools, with different age groups.

The baby comes into the class, and the students spend time watching the baby’s growth, asking questions, doing group work, engaging in discussions and independent projects touching on safety, sleeping and nutrition of infants.

“Research has shown that it has reduced levels of aggression and bullying, as well as increased social behaviour because a lot of it is focused on feelings. We talk a lot about feelings, pinpoint and name feelings, and even though we’re all different races and religions, cultures, we all have the same feelings.”

Not only are the class visits beneficial to the students, they are also very educational to the infant as well.

Mother of Imogen, Sherri Roussin said, “It’s been good for us because we don’t have a lot of contact with kids that age so it’s kind of nice for her and I really enjoyed seeing how they reacted to her and some of the comments that they came out with.”

“They’re always really interested in what’s new. What’s she doing that’s different, and how she changed, how she’s growing, because we only go about every three weeks,” said Roussin.

Lindsey Rettie, mother of Eloise, who has just turned one and been a part of the program since September 2010, participates in the program at Pinewood and Lillian Berg, interacting with a Kindergarten class, as well as a Grades 1/2 class.

“She loves being around the big kids. I think she benefits from the social aspect of it, and getting used to being around groups of people,” said Rettie. “I know, talking to other parents that had kids in that class, at first they were really confused as to who this Eloise was. They weren’t sure if it was a doll, or an animal, because the kids would go home and talk about this baby Eloise all the time and singing the baby Eloise song.”

By Ally Dunham

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