Humane Edge October 2007

In This Issue:

• EDUCATING FOR YOUTH GREATNESS
  
• COULD YOU BE THE NEXT NEW IHE BOARD MEMBER?
  
• HUMANE EDUCATION IN MINUTES
  
• FEATURED GRADUATE: BOB SCHWALB
• IN THE CLASSROOM: FARM BILL: FAB OR FOUL?
  
• SOWING SEEDS SUCCESS IN PENNSYLVANIA

EDUCATING FOR YOUTH GREATNESS

Teaching humane education in Miami. Starting humane ed schools in Peru. Working with the UN and UNICEF to reach and teach children. Magaly Madrid is working hard to transform the lives of children all over the world...and they are transforming hers. Read Part 1 of her story.

by Magaly Madrid (HECP Student)

The Birth of the Empathy Project

Ever since I got my first taste of humane education back when I began volunteering at my local animal shelter, I realized this was my life’s calling. I enjoyed teaching children -- even people my own age -- about compassion for our animal companions. The subject fascinated me so deeply that I began picking up reading material and educating myself daily.

Miami is a very culturally diverse city. Being Latina, I knew that whatever I set my eyes on had to fulfill my Latino roots. The Empathy Project was born while I was working as an after school counselor at an elementary school. This school was located in an area with a mix of middle and low income families. The neighborhood, including its thriving Puerto Rican and Latin American communities, offers a cultural and commercial cross section of contemporary life in Miami today.

Some of the students I counseled expressed a lack of empathy and concern for others, including themselves. I recognized that they were in need of help and that their attitude was a clear by-product of their home environment. I wanted to do something more than just counsel them. Their struggles became mine, and I genuinely wanted to take each and every one of them under my wing.

The school in which I initially began the Empathy Project was performing below state standards. There were issues with conduct, attendance, and language barriers. I proposed the idea of a literacy program using humane education. The Empathy Project would place reading first, but would take it an important step further. Not only would it teach youth to read and to be motivated and challenged to expand their knowledge base, but it would also teach them respect, responsibility, compassion, empathy, leadership and determination. The Empathy Project would use literacy as a means to help build a child’s character and self-esteem, both foundations of good citizenship.

I began by educating them about universal values, such as dignity and respect for each other. It was tougher than I thought, but I knew exactly what they were going through. I figured most of them probably did not receive positive reinforcement at home. The negativity surrounding them had been imbedded in their minds and hearts. And my mission was to remove those hard shells and nurture their hungry minds and spirits.

My lessons used a combination of teaching methods to cater to their unique learning styles. I taught using definitions, discussions, demonstrations and stories. I engaged them in creative play and expressive activities. They particularly enjoyed learning through fun activities, songs, dances and movement.

I felt so empowered with the bond I had with my students and with inspiring them for greatness that I decided to expand my humane efforts. I applied to legally incorporate the Empathy Project and sought to establish a partnership with the local school board. After several phone calls and the back-and-forth exchange of paperwork, I realized the partnership was nearly impossible. So the next best thing was to contact schools and inform them about my program. Their response was lukewarm, but there were a few who extended an invitation to work with their students right away. The only catch was that the program had to be conducted after school, and I had to be a volunteer. I had no choice; I figured this would give me the opportunity to practice my teaching skills in a more relaxed environment and not have to commit to any particular school.

Getting into schools has been my toughest challenge by far. Some schools have had issues with animals being brought into the classrooms. I told them I would only bring a dog once in a while. Some schools could not guarantee me access to a TV or didn’t want me using their equipment. I brought my own. I had to be prepared for anything they threw at me. I consider myself a really sweet person, but I can be pretty persistent, too.

The humane lessons become deeply instilled in my students because I bring an “assistant” – a rescued dog - with me most of the time. Even when I’m not discussing the importance of being a responsible pet guardian or the topic of animal rights, having rescued dogs in the classroom serves as a living example of overcoming one's past, and returning nonviolent responses.

"Thank you for being so cool to me and everyone else. You don’t find too many people like you these days. I sure did learn a whole lot about animals and animal abuse. What makes you a great teacher is the fact that you can relate to me, you understand me. Just stay the way you are." ~David A., 8th Grade, Brownsville Middle School, Miami, FL 

Since having begun the Empathy Project just a little over a year ago, I have worked in elementary, middle, high schools, alternative schools (for juvenile offenders), and summer camps. I have worked with about 400 children and teenagers and have taught them in English and Spanish. I even designed a pre/post evaluation for my students to complete, so that I can do a better job in instilling within them a sense of appreciation and wonder for the world in which we live.

Feedback from students and teachers has been phenomenal. My experience in teaching humane education has been nothing but a joy and has brought a love of learning that far exceeds any state standard. I have formed a partnership with students through which, side by side, student and teacher learn together as equals.


The Healing Species


Another program I have brought to the schools is the Healing Species program. Healing Species is an 11-week, "standardized-testing aligned" violence intervention/character education program.

Those who really bring the Healing Species lessons to life are the rescued dogs who act as helpers and teachers in every lesson. Each class begins with the dog's story of abuse and neglect, a situation to which the children can often relate. Through the dog's story, the children find a happy ending, hope, and courage for their own stories. Lastly, the dogs provide an incredibly strong "visual aid," thus making it possible for even struggling students to remember lessons almost verbatim.

A formal, independent evaluation regarding the effectiveness of the program found that, the Healing Species program has significantly decreased violent behavior and aggression, while increasing empathy and test scores.

I am the Program Director for the Miami chapter and the only one who has so far taught the Healing Species curriculum completely in Spanish.


Partnership with Bruce Peru

On DirecTV I have a Spanish programming package which delivers more than 65 channels, including more than 35 Spanish-language channels. Peru’s most popular TV network is Sur Peru. One night I was watching a news program similar to NBC’s Nightly News or 60 Minutes. There was a segment on street children and child laborers in Lima and its surroundings. The last time I remember crying so much was after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, and I saw the desperation in the eyes of the people and the animals. I felt helpless, because I did not have the means to alleviate some of that pain - to bring a little hope into their lives.

I was born in Peru and came to America when I was a toddler. I returned a couple of times, and the last time, I noticed kids my age and younger selling candy on the streets or asking to shine shoes for some spare change. After viewing those compelling images of street children on Sur Peru many years later, I told myself I had to do something. I couldn’t just stand idle. Since I already had established the Empathy Project, I decided to use that approach to try to connect with groups and organizations working to help the children of Peru. The following day I went online and found several, but there was one that called out to me: Bruce Peru.

Their mission is “to help as many of the poorest children in the third world as we can to receive as good an education as their circumstances permit. To do all we can to befriend them, motivate them to want to get educated, to help with their nutritional, medical, psychological, clothing and family well-being: and finally to get them into as good an educational institution as we can find for them....”

Bruce Peru started in Peru and has expanded across Latin America. I loved the fact that they build small schools that take in children unable to attend school for various reasons. I contacted them and offered to teach the Empathy Project curriculum at their schools. It was months before someone was able to contact me. By then, I had acquired additional resources for my program and had added more to my humane curriculum, including a Spanish translation. And most importantly, I was granted my 501(c)3 status.

Eventually both the Founder and the President of Bruce Peru contacted me, expressing their interest in collaborating with the Empathy Project. At that point I proposed to sponsor a school in my birthplace, Lima, and to integrate humane education into their curriculum. After further talks, they decided to pilot the humane education program in one school and to implement it in other schools, if the pilot proved successful. In the beginning it was a challenge finding a location for the new school, because many government officials refused to acknowledge that there was a problem in their communities. They didn’t see the need to open up more schools. In some places the situation was so bad that Bruce Peru couldn’t hang up their banner for fear it would be vandalized or stolen.

Eventually, Bruce Peru found a good location. The way Bruce Peru recruits children is by going into the poorest communities where the highest concentrations of out-of-school children can be found. The Bruce Peru “Angels,” as I like to call them, consist primarily of social workers, community leaders and volunteers. When they have recruited enough children, they either open a new school or use a classroom in a local or state school, and begin the rehabilitation and education of these children.

The teachers in this new school were very intrigued with my humane education program. They wanted to learn more about it and invited me to train their staff. The children of Bruce Peru are all so hungry for knowledge and genuinely grateful for their “big break.” I feel like a farmer planting powerful seeds that will grow into Entrepreneurs, Creators, Leaders, Movers and Shakers, each with a heart of gold.

Currently, I am working on opening up my second school. Due to the success of the first school in Ventanilla (approximately 2 hours from Lima), the next school will also use the Empathy Project’s humane education program.

"The Empathy Project can call Peru its new home. We and the children of Bruce Peru are grateful for your contributions and dedication to education. We look forward to implementing your holistic humane education program throughout our schools and inspiring more children and adults; transforming communities one family at a time." ~ Bruce Thorton - Founder and Ana Teresa Rosell - President, Bruce Peru 

Bruce Peru is very appreciative of my contribution, and I am very grateful to them for giving me a chance. After having so many doors closed in my face, it feels so victorious when someone finally says YES! Sometimes that is all one needs; it’s just that one chance, that one opportunity to prove what you are all about. At times it got depressing pitching this great program and having people look at me like I had three faces.

I know in my heart that my partnership with Bruce Peru was what I needed to recharge my batteries and become the activist, the voice for Education for All. Success is an amazing feeling. Everyone, young or old, should have their opportunity to succeed.

In our November 2007 edition, read about Magaly's work with UNICEF and UNESCO, Alfalit, and her plans for the future.

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COULD YOU BE THE NEXT NEW IHE BOARD MEMBER?

IHE is actively working to expand its board of directors with enthusiastic people from a variety of backgrounds and with a broad spectrum of expertise.

IHE is seeking people for their board of directors with diverse interests and backgrounds in education, human rights, environmentalism, animal protection, cultural critique, international perspectives, class issues, and other social justice work.  
 
IHE’s working board supports IHE’s mission in the following areas:

• fundraising  • non-profit management/governance
• organizational development  • business administration 
• finance  • education (all ages/traditional and non-traditional) 
• outreach  • international operations •videography/graphic design
• media/public relations  • legal issues 
• computer/internet/website • any other areas that advance IHE’s work  

Active board members attend one in-person meeting per year at IHE's headquarters in Maine, participate in monthly phone meetings, and actively volunteer on IHE's behalf between meetings. All board members contribute financially to IHE (commensurate with capacity to give; no set amount is expected or required) and contribute to fundraising efforts.
 
If you feel aligned with IHE's mission, familiar with IHE’s work, are personally striving to live a humane life in relation to people, animals, and the Earth, and feel that you may have something valuable to offer our vibrant organization, please contact IHE’s executive director, Khalif Williams, to inquire about joining the board of directors. We’d love to meet you.

Image courtesy of: Waffler

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HUMANE EDUCATION IN MINUTES

Got a few minutes? Then you have time to promote humane education! We have several activities that you can use with kids, teens or adults in only 5 to 15 minutes. These can make great icebreakers, introductions to other humane education concepts or activities, or time-fillers, if you have a few minutes to spare.

5-10 Minute Activities

Lottery Ticket
Use this quick icebreaker to show participants that everyone can make a positive difference!
Recommended for All ages.
Time: 5 minutes


Two Apples
In this icebreaker, participants learn just how important words and actions are when they explore their impact on two apples.
Recommended for All ages.
Time: 5-10 minutes

10-15 Minute Activities

Choices Cards
Bottled or tap water? Fair trade or conventional? Hunting or taking photos? Participants consider pairs of related behaviors and products and contemplate which choices do the most good and least harm.
Recommended for grades 5 and up.
Time: 10-45 minutes

Human Picture
This icebreaker encourages participants to consider the kind of world they want to live in by creating human statues that depict positive and negative emotions.
Recommended for grades 3 and up.
Time: 10-15 minutes

What Will You Say?
At the end of your very long life, a child asks you what you did to help make the world so much better. Guide students through this visualization to help them get in touch with their power to make positive change.
Recommended for grades 5 and up.
Time: 10-20 minutes

Which to Pick
Great for a larger assembly, this activity asks students to compare pairs of similar products to consider which of the two helps more and harms less.
Recommended for grades 5 and up.
Time: 15-30 minutes

Word Power
Words have enormous power and often assign value. This activity explores sample words in context and what kinds of value those words imply.
Recommended for grades 4 and up.
Time: 15-30 minutes

 Image courtesy of: Richard Cocks

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FEATURED GRADUATE: BOB SCHWALB

Bob was focused on his lucrative career designing computer systems for large corporations until he discovered the power of humane education. Now he gives humane education presentations to hundreds of students in the New York City area every year. Read his story. 

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IN THE CLASSROOM: FARM BILL: FAB OR FOUL?

 Every five years an issue comes around that affects not only every child, woman and man in the U.S., but also nonhuman animals, our environment, and people around the world. The Farm Bill. As the Senate struggles to agree on their version (the House passed one in July), it’s an excellent opportunity for teachers and humane educators to bring the Farm Bill to your high school and college students and engage them in thinking critically about the ways in which the Farm Bill affects people, animals, the environment, and others around the globe.  

The depth, complexity and scope of the Farm Bill provide numerous opportunities for exploring relevant issues with your students. Many people are surprised to discover that the Farm Bill involves legislation for more than just food. The bill also covers issues such as conservation, trade, nutrition, forestry, and even energy policy.

Getting students engaged in the issues could be as simple as having them read summaries of the Farm Bill and discuss its strengths and weaknesses, or conducting a media browse. IHE also has several humane education activities in our Resources section that could serve as springboards for customizing your students' critical exploration of the Farm Bill. For example:

Be a C.R.I.T.I.C. - This activity helps students think critically as they examine information from different perspectives and sources.

Earth Court - Put the Farm Bill on trial and have students develop a solutions-based sentencing. 

Executive Commission - Have students advise the President (or Congress) on how to act on parts of (or the entire) the Farm Bill.

Greatest Impact - Have students explore the impact of different elements of the Farm Bill on people, animals and the environment (renewable energy, subsidies for different crops, etc.).

Many Colors - Have students explore a variety of possible solutions to a problem, challenge or conflict. 

To find general information about the Farm Bill and to keep up on what's happening in Congress, you can use resources such as:

USDA: America’s Farm Bill 2007
Get information about what the farm bill contains, cost estimates,  proposals & more.

Farm Bill: House Committee on Agriculture
In July the House passed their version of the Farm Bill. Find out the details, and what amendments were made.

Farm Bill: Senate Committee on Agriculture
View/hear senate hearings on the Farm Bill.

You can also browse our weblinks to find sites that focus on food & other issues, and search for other resources that offer various perspectives on this important piece of legislation.

Image courtesy of: Cozimnot

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SOWING SEEDS SUCCESS IN PENNSYLVANIA

What did participants think about our recent Sowing Seeds workshop in Langhorne, Pennsylvania in September 2007? Here's a sampling:

"I realized how my communication impacts my message and how my passion often gets in the way of effective communication. So I'm going to be consistently working on that now." - Leandra W.

"Facilitator is excellent. Participants wonderful - the activities were definitely inspiring." - Jennifer I.

"I loved the emphasis on respecting students, effective communication, [and] making connections between social justice issues." - Marisa W.

Our next Sowing Seeds Workshops are in Vancouver, B.C. in October and Keene, NH in November. It's a great opportunity to transform your own life and to hone your ability to make a positive difference in the world. Nearly 1,000 have already been to a Sowing Seeds Workshop and have found it to be life-changing. Read what they've said.

Never been to a Sowing SeedsWorkshop? Find out more!

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