Pink Shirt Day
Pink Shirt Day, or Anti-Bullying Day, is a day when people wear pink to take a stand against bullying. This year, at Roots of Empathy, we dressed some of our ROE babies, or ‘Tiny Teachers’, in pink! At ROE, our babies act as a reminder of our own vulnerability. Through our ‘Tiny Teachers’ children understand that we are all bigger babies and therefore still vulnerable to bullying or any cruelty. Empathy is a brake against bullying. Our latest show in the Children’s Gallery displays anti-bullying art from our ROE program students.
“What can Roots of Empathy teach the world? Not to laugh at people.”
Grade 1, Delia School, Alberta, Canada
“[Roots of Empathy can teach the world] that everyone has feelings big or small and that no matter what it’s not good to be a [bully]. You could change the world with kindness.”
– Grade 4 Student, Slave Lake (Alberta, Canada)
A recent Canadian survey found that, “behaving meanly increases across the grades, from a low of 6 percent in Grade 4 to 31 percent in Grade 8” (Steeves, 2014, p. 5).
Citation: Steeves, V. (2014). Young Canadians in a wired world, phase III. Cyberbullying: Dealing with online meanness, cruelty and threats.Media Smarts.
“Someone was unkind to me when they said something not nice to me and I felt sad.”
Navreet, Grade 3
“Roots of Empathy teaches being nice and not to bully children and help children who are being bullied.”
– Grade 4 student, Saint-Colomban, (Quebec, Canada)
“What can Roots of Empathy teach the world? Kindness, stop bullying, love, and helping.”
Ella, Grade 2
“To love each other and a crying baby is not a bad baby it has a problem. Be nice never bully, people have feelings as well as us.”
-Primary 6 / 7 student, Carrickfergus (Northern Ireland)
“School principals were asked if they had observed any outcomes or benefits of the ROE programme in the children. All six principals from the case study schools said that they had observed positive benefits in terms of, for example, less aggressive behaviors, a more caring attitude, improved concentration and fewer bullying incidents.” (Connolly et al., 2018, p.63).
“…the ROE programme was perceived by most key stakeholders in the case study schools to have positive benefits for the children; the children seemed to show more empathy, open up more about their feelings and, overall, have fewer disputes in the playground.” (Connolly et al., 2018, p.68)
-Connolly et al, 2018, Northern Ireland
Baby Militaw is our indigenous baby from Natoaganeg First Nation, NB.
“I am proud because I cheer my friend up because kids are making fun of her skin colour.”
“Roots of Empathy can teach the world to recognize bullying and put a stop to it.”
– Fourth year class, Tipperary (Ireland)
Baby Zarias from Alberta
“I felt proud when I stood up for my friend.”
Jordan, Grade 2
“It teaches how to be empathetic and recognize bullying. It teaches us how to handle bullying. It teaches us how to take care of baby’s and to make sure they stay safe and healthy.”
– Grade 5 student, (Ontario, Canada)
“When I was sad I got my feelings hurt by a bully when he said mean things about me.”
Arman, Grade 3
“…Roots of Empathy can teach you that if someone been bullied help them and don’t leave them alone if there not your friend still help them.”
– Year 3, Lewisham (England)
“I feel sad when they tease me about my skin colour.”
Camila, Grade 3
According to classroom teachers, Roots of Empathy children showed a reduction in physical aggression and indirect aggression in the Roots of Empathy children across the school year (Santos et al, 2011).
Santos et al, 2011, Canada
“The world needs more buddies not bullies…”
– Grade 4 student, (Newfoundland Canada)
Baby Jaylynn from Ontario
One in five (20.9%) children ages 9 to 12 years old, has been cyberbullied, cyberbullied others, or seen cyberbullying
Citation: Patchin & Hinduja (2020)
“What can Roots of Empathy teach the world? When a friend is getting bullied you should help them.”
Ella, Grade 2
“The evaluation suggests that the ROE program, “is an effective tool for fostering empathy and prosocial behavior and reducing aggression among primary school pupils in the Swiss educational system” (Latsch, Stauffer & Bollinger, 2017, p. 58).
Latsch, Stauffer & Bollinger, 2017, Switzerland
Baby Kamden is our indigenous baby from Eel Ground First Nation, New Brunswick, NB.
“I don’t want to be a bully because they hurt kids feelings.”
Madeline, Grade 3
“[Roots of Empathy can teach the world] that you have to care for babies so they don’t get injured, and that if there is a friend or another student being bullied or threatened you should go and help them.”
– Grade 5 student, Winnipeg, (Manitoba, Canada)
“My friend is being bullied because of his talk. He speaks a different language.”
David
49.8% of children, ages 9 to 12 years old said they experienced bullying at school. -Patchin & Hinduja (2020)
Citation: Patchin, J., Hinduja, S. (2020). Tween cyberbullying in 2020. Cyberbullying Research Network I Partnership with Cartoon Network. Retrieved from: https://i.cartoonnetwork.com/stop-bullying/pdfs/CN_Stop_Bullying_Cyber_Bullying_Report_9.30.20.pdf
“Roots of Empathy teaches the world about feelings, bullying, how to treat a baby.”
– Grade 3 student, Curridabat (Costa Rica)
“What can Roots of Empathy teach the world? Learn how to be a friend and not a bully.”
Lilian, Grade 2
“Taught me to [respect] and to give people a chance and to help them stand up to people who are being mean or bullying them and most importantly empathy.”
– 4th Class student, Cork (Ireland,)
“Overall data showed ROE pupils to increase in Empathy (Cognitive & Emotional) and Prosocial Behaviour compared to control pupils who decreased on these outcomes. Video observations showed an increase in empathic behaviours and a decrease in aggressive behaviours” (MacDonald et al., 2013, p.5).
MacDonald et al, 2013, Scotland
“What can Roots of Empathy teach the world? To help someone when they are being bullied.”
Dylan
Baby Grady is from Saskatchewan.
“I am sad when I am bullied.”
Emily, Grade 3
“If you see someone getting bullied go and HELP them.”
– Primary 5 student, Holywood (Northern Ireland)
“I stopped a bully from bullying my friend.”
Leo, Grade 2
Baby Jett from New Brunswick
“Roots of Empathy can teach the world to be kind to each other and help them if they are being bullied.”
– Grade 4 student, Truro (Nova Scotia, Canada)
Baby Arella from Alberta
“Alex does not stop bullying me. I ask him to stop but he won’t. I feel sad every day because of him. I wish Alex would stop bullying me.”
Brooke, Grade 3
“Bullying is among the most commonly reported discipline problems in public schools. Nearly 14% of public schools report that bullying happens at least once a week”. (Includes primary, middle and high schools) – National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
Citation: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. (2019). Preventing bullying. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/yv/bullying-factsheet508.pdf
“That the world is better when it is not bullied” – Grade 3 student, Shoreline (Washington, USA)
According to classroom teachers, the Roots of Empathy program decreased bullying and aggressive behaviours in the classroom (Cain & Carnellor, 2008).
Cain & Carnellor, 2008, Australia
Baby Cayda from Ontario
“They are chasing me I told them to stop.”
“What can Roots of Empathy teach the world? To be kind to others.”
Allie, Grade 2
Baby Jackson from Quebec
Baby Everett is from Saskatchewan
“That everyone was a baby and everyone grows up and everyone has feelings and if someone is sad or being bullied that you should help them even if they are not your friend. And you need to report what happened to the person.”
– Grade 3 student, Lake Forest Park (Washington, USA)
Baby Luci from British Columbia
“How to care for other people better. Also teach about emotions and helping people that are being bullied [and] what absolutely not to do with babies.”
– Grade 5 student, Seattle (Washington, USA)
“What can Roots of Empathy teach the world? Bullying bruises the heart!”
Jolie, Grade 2
Bullying Statistics in Canada and the U.S.
Canadian Source
- A recent Canadian survey found that, “behaving meanly increases across the grades, from a low of 6 percent in Grade 4 to 31 percent in Grade 8” (Steeves, 2014, p. 5).
Citation: Steeves, V. (2014). Young Canadians in a wired world, phase III. Cyberbullying: Dealing with online meanness, cruelty and threats. Media Smarts.
American Sources
- One in five (20.9%) children ages 9 to 12 years old, has been cyberbullied, cyberbullied others, or seen cyberbullying – Patchin & Hinduja (2020)
- 8% of children, ages 9 to 12 years old said they experienced bullying at school. – Patchin & Hinduja (2020)
Citation: Patchin, J., Hinduja, S. (2020). Tween cyberbullying in 2020. Cyberbullying Research Network I Partnership with Cartoon Network. Retrieved from: https://i.cartoonnetwork.com/stop-bullying/pdfs/CN_Stop_Bullying_Cyber_Bullying_Report_9.30.20.pdf
- “Bullying is among the most commonly reported discipline problems in public schools. Nearly 14% of public schools report that bullying happens at least once a week”. (Includes primary, middle and high schools) – National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
Citation: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. (2019). Preventing bullying. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/yv/bullying-factsheet508.pdf