There is one boy in my Roots of Empathy class who always sits as far from the group as possible. He seldom has a comment or a question. On the 6th or 7th session, he came up to the mezzanine floor above the classroom and asked if he could help. He assisted with straightening the green blanket and positioning the whiteboard stand. Then he asked if he could hold the baby doll. I passed her to him as if I were holding a baby. He took her gently and sat cross-legged at the edge of the green blanket. He laid the baby on his lap, smiled at its face and patted its chin. When I heard the other children approaching, I quietly asked if we should pop the baby back on the table. He smiled and handed the baby back to me, then got up and went to the corner. I was thankful for this encounter, as I now understood the teacher’s explanation that he was engaged with the programme but preferred to separate himself from his classmates. He has the same name as my grandson, so I can easily remember his name.
Roots of Empathy Instructor | Lower Hutt, New Zealand