Roots of Empathy

Mrs Dunlop’s P3 Class have just finished ‘Crying’, the 2^nd of the 9 Themes of our Roots of Empathy Programme. The programme aims to build caring, peaceful and civil societies through the development of empathy in children and adults.  By learning to understand other people’s feelings, as well as our own, we hope to reduce levels of bullying and aggression and promote children’s pro-social behaviours.

Sandy Brown, Family Learning Co-ordinator, is facilitating the programme with the help of a local family – Baby Jack and his Mum, Lisa Ashton, who kindly volunteered to visit the class 9 times between October and June.  Baby Jack and Mum Lisa have now visited the class twice, and the children have been learning about human development, feelings, and temperament by observing Jack, asking questions, and studying the loving relationship that is growing between mother and child.

‘Let’s Cook from Scratch’

Seven P6 & 7 Pupils, 1 Grandmother, 1 Dad and 5 Mums have been participating in 6 x Family Learning ‘Let’s Cook from Scratch’ after school taster sessions. Richard Lines from the NHS Health Improvement West Team ran the sessions.

Families discussed basic kitchen safety, practiced safe knife skills, prepared raw ingredients, learned several core cooking methods and made healthy nutritious meals using fresh ingredients. They were all challenged to prepare and cook at least 1 of the dishes, made during the sessions, for their families, and share their feedback about the experience to the group.

All 7 pupils are keen to arrange more sessions to build their knowledge and skills, and confidently help their parents prepare and cook nutritious meals at home.