For 24 years, Susan McKane has been a steady, empathic presence in classrooms, parenting centres, and as a Mentor and Trainer to so many Roots of Empathy Instructors across Ontario and beyond (Ireland). As Roots of Empathy celebrates its 30th anniversary, Susan’s story reminds us what happens when empathy is nurtured, practised, and modelled— one baby, one classroom, one relationship at a time.
From Classrooms to Parenting Centres:
Where It All Began
Susan’s professional life has always been rooted in education — but not just in teaching children. Early in her career, she discovered that supporting parents was just as powerful.
After teaching primary school in Toronto and Ireland, Susan completed her Early Childhood Education diploma when her own daughter entered a co-operative nursery school. Susan notes that decision changed everything, “I loved working with the parents as much as the children, and felt that I was able to be quite successful in helping parents deal with some of the challenges of the early years.”
In 1996, Susan began working as a parent worker in the Toronto District School Board Parenting and Family Literacy Centres, including Greenwood School, then a high school for newly arrived families to Canada. The centre quickly became a vibrant hub for parents and caregivers from every corner of the world.
Strollers lined the hallways. Song circles drew in adults as eagerly as children. Creative activities broke down isolation and language barriers, she recalled, “Each day was a dynamic and varied challenge — but so rewarding.”
Susan noticed something profound: parents watched closely as she helped children navigate conflict and emotions. Over time, she saw parents grow more confident, adopting new ways of interacting with their children — even when those approaches differed from how they themselves had been raised.
A defining influence during this time was Mary Gordon, Founder of Roots of Empathy. Monthly professional development sessions with Mary gave Susan language for instincts she already carried — a deeper way to understand children’s behaviour, learning, and emotional lives.
Susan carried those insights throughout her career, including her later work at Merrymount Children’s Centre in London, Ontario.
Saying Yes to Roots of Empathy
When Mary first asked for volunteers to pilot a new program called Roots of Empathy, Susan admits she kept her head down, she said “I felt my plate was already full.”
Eventually, she raised her hand — a decision she would later describe as life-changing. In those early days, Instructors received curriculum as it was being written. Susan worked alongside other educators, meeting monthly to prepare and reflect. It was innovative— but deeply grounded in child development theory and emotional literacy research. Her first classroom was an inner-city Toronto school. The baby and family were Sri Lankan, and the children were captivated. (Learn more about becoming a Roots of Empathy Instructor)
Over 24 years, Susan taught 24 Roots of Empathy classes — welcoming 24 babies and reaching approximately 600 children. She often reminded new Instructors to expect one familiar moment: the disappointment when she arrived without the baby, and the students would say, “Oh — is it only you today?”
But Susan understood what Mary had always known: the baby was the magnet, but related learning could also happen before and after the visit.
Quiet children found their voices. Assertive children learned to make space for others. Teachers began to see their students differently. Volunteer parents often said: “I wish I had known this with my first child.” The impact rippled outward — child to child, parent to family, classroom to community.
Mentoring, Training, and Watching the Spark Ignite
Susan didn’t just teach Roots of Empathy — she helped grow it. As a Mentor and Trainer, she supported new Instructors who were often adding the program to already demanding roles. Many were unsure at first. She said, “It didn’t take long before they said it was the highlight of their work week.”
Early Childhood Educators felt empowered as teachers. School counsellors gained new insight into students they supported throughout the week — often the ones who needed connection the most. Across northern Ontario, Newfoundland, Ireland, Scotland, and her hometown of London, Susan saw the same response:
“Excitement about new learning, enthusiasm for the curriculum — and love of the babies.”
Moments That Stay With You
When Susan looks back, certain children and moments rise to the surface.
A child who needed physical distance from the circle — but never missed saying hello and goodbye to the baby.
An Indigenous classroom on Walpole Island, where she witnessed affirmation and care after generations of harm.
A meticulous boy in Newfoundland, whose journals — pages long — revealed deep reflection and trust.
These moments, Susan says, capture what Roots of Empathy does best: create safe spaces where children — and adults — can fully realize themselves and feel for others.
Looking Back with Gratitude
Roots of Empathy didn’t just shape Susan’s career. It shaped her life. She carried Roots of Empathy into her later work, developing parenting programs for families with school-aged children. Temperament theory, learning styles, and emotional literacy became everyday tools.
Susan understood she wasn’t just delivering a program, she said “I was the face and the voice of Roots of Empathy in the school — a profound joy and privilege.”
After 24 years, Susan remains deeply grateful she raised her hand. She reflected, “I have watched children change, teachers learn, parents become more enthralled with their babies — all because of thoughtful, well-planned learning in a safe environment.”
About Susan McKane
Susan McKane has worked in education and parent support for nearly three decades. She began her Roots of Empathy journey in the program’s earliest days and taught 24 classes, welcoming 24 babies and reaching approximately 600 children.
In addition to her role as an Instructor, Susan served as a Mentor and Trainer, supporting volunteers and educators across Canada and internationally. Her work with Parenting and Family Literacy Centres supporting newcomer families was featured on David Suzuki’s The Nature of Things, highlighting the power of play.
Susan’s legacy lives on in classrooms, families, and communities — and in the hundreds of children who learned that all feelings are okay, that a crying baby is not a bad baby, and that empathy can change how we treat one another.
