Sample IHE Student Work
This section includes sample work from our graduate students (M.Ed., M.A., graduate certificate, etc.).
Please note that IHE has been given permission by our students to share their work here, but any copyrighted work should not be duplicated or used elsewhere without the creator's prior permission.
Master's Theses - Practicums - Other Work
Sample Master's Theses (also known as Independent Learning Projects, or ILPs):
Each M.Ed./M.A. student must complete a Master's Thesis. The thesis represents not only the culmination of the student’s studies, but also a creative contribution to the field of humane education. The topic must be professionally and socially relevant, challenging, and appropriate for the student’s vision. In the project the student demonstrates the ability to integrate theory, research skills, academic course work, and professional experience and goals.
Fundamentalist Christianity in the High School Classroom: Perspectives and Difficult Dialogues
by Laura Babb
This project addresses the problems that can occur when Fundamentalist Christian beliefs clash with the humane education issues of animal protection, environmental ethics, and human rights in the high school classroom. Techniques for working though difficult dialogues, adopting attitudes that foster growth, and understanding the psychological stage teenagers are at will all help in reaching the goal of helping educators at the high school level relate to their Fundamentalist Christian students more effectively and compassionately. After exploring Fundamentalist Christian views, humane education responses, and methods of broadening the educators scope of engaging in difficult dialogue, teachers will feel more well-equipped and confident that they are attempting to create an even more humane classroom environment. (The main project begins on page 36 of the pdf file.)
Humane Communication Styles in Activism
by Kathleen Beck
What prevents activists from communicating effectively? Are there some activist communication styles that are more in alignment with humane values? Are there ways to communicate in activism that will bring about the social changes we wish to make, in a style that is in keeping with humane values? The pamphlet created for this ILP focuses on bringing awareness to various communication styles, so that we may better understand the atmosphere that we create. (The pamphlet begins on page 33 of the pdf file.)
Breaking the Cycle of Violence: A Farmed-Animal Assisted Humane Education Program for At-Risk Children
by Carolin Behrend
Many of a Kind: Humans and Other Animals in the Early Twenty-first Century
by Christina Bevens
This project is a collection of fictional short stories, presented by a fictional editor, and discussions of actual journal articles. The primary purpose of this project is to facilitate and support first and second year college-level critical study of anthropocentric topics. Contributing to the growing fields of academic humane education and human-animal studies, this project combines fiction and nonfiction elements in an attempt to provide an accessible and appealing vehicle for revealing and challenging anthropocentrism. (The main project begins on page 23 of the pdf file.)
Get to Know Your H20
by Andrea Cohen
A Preliminary Survey of Student Activism in the International School Setting: Focus on the American International School-Riyadh
by Jason Crook
The Seedling: A Primer for Creating and Sustaining a Successful Humane Education Program or Humane Initiative in Your Community
by Danielle Hy Dennenberg
Developing a Humane Ethic Towards People, Other Animals and the Environment in 18- to 36-month Old Children: A Handbook for Parents
by Kelly Coyle DiNorcia
The handbook guides parents, other family members, and other caregivers through the five elements of Humane Parenting, namely the gathering of accurate information concerning the environment, cultural issues and consumerism, human rights and animal protection; the three Rs of reverence, respect and responsibility; the three Cs of curiosity, creativity and critical thinking; the modeling of positive choices; and parenting respectfully. Specific techniques for dealing with common parenting concerns such as food choices, gift-giving occasions, literature and media selections, and teaching children about diversity are given. The handbook concludes with a list of suggested books, periodicals, weblogs and organizations that parents are encouraged to consult for more information. (The handbook begins on page 37 of the pdf file.)
Teaching for Transformation: A Handbook for Adult Educators
by Sherry Gilkin
This project offers an understanding of how adults learn best and information on ways that education can lead to transformation. It uses scholarly and scientific research to develop a handbook to help educators of adult audiences teach effectively and promote positive personal and social change. It can be utilized by persons entering the field of adult education, as well as current educators seeking to enhance their practice. (The handbook begins on page 31 of the pdf file.)
Personal Stories Serve as Living Proof That Change is Possible: A Three-Part Workshop Series Geared Toward Supporting Adults Through a Transition Toward Veganism
by Wendy Gilmore
This project offers a detailed outline of a 3-part workshop series focused on helping adults successfully transition toward a vegan lifestyle, using personal stories and interactive activities as primary motivators. (The guide begins on page 32 of the pdf file.)
An Indoor-Outdoor Literary Studies Curriculum for Compassionate and Sustainable Choices in Grades 9-12
by Molly Volanth Hall
The goal of this project is to create a curriculum for high school English students grades, 9 to 12, for use by teachers in America concerned with a lack of compassion and sustainable choice-making in graduating high school students. The completed project represents a comprehensive curriculum model which is capable of successfully addressing and improving students’ understanding of human, animal, environmental, and activist issues; increasing the occurrence of compassionate attitudes and behavior, as well as sustainable values and choice-making in students; all while imparting traditional literacy and literary skills. (The main curriculum begins on page 38 of the pdf file.)
Compassion Club: Nurturing the Compassion of High School Girls Through Activism
by Kelle Kersten
Compassion Club offers high school girls an alternative to the message that we must exist at the expense and exclusion of others and offers strategies for nurturing compassion through active involvement in meaningful human rights, animal protection and environmental preservation activities. The handbook offers a guide to starting a Compassion Club, as well as a sample curriculum and suggested resources. (The handbook begins on page 45 of the pdf file.)
Humane Education and the Bible: Understanding What the Bible Teaches About Animals, the Environment, and Us
by Garth Knox
Can we reconcile the teachings of the Bible with the values of humane education? The author believes that the teachings in the Bible are aligned with the principles of humane education, and that the scriptures are often misunderstood and/or taken out of context. The author's research has been distilled into a handbook for educators of teens and adults and presented in a way that is fresh, hip, and challenging. (The handbook begins on page 52 of the pdf file.)
A Guide for Novice Documentary Filmmakers Who Aim to Motivate Viewers to Take Positive Action Relevant to Environmental Preservation, Animal Protection and/or Human Rights
by Charley Korns
We all have seen the power of film. This project highlights documentary filmmaking as an effective tool for positive changemaking, and provides a guide for novice documentary filmmakers to help them optimize the transformational potential of their films. (The guide begins on page 34 of the pdf file.)
Chrysalis: Promoting Holistic Advocacy and Collaboration for a Humane World
by Kimberly Korona
The Shirt Off My Back: A Humane Education Curriculum
by Cari Micala
Christianity and Care for Creation: Living Out Our Faith in our Daily Lives
by Stephanie Muzekari
Mathematics for a Broken, Beautiful World: A Modular Resource Package for Late Secondary and Early Post-Secondary Math Educators
by Kurt Schmidt
This project is an attempt to clarify how and why mathematics really matters in the lives of students. It begins with a framing of the typical disconnection between students’ lives and modern-day school mathematics. It includes an original curricular resource package for mathematics educators who are working at late secondary and early post-secondary levels. This resource package includes materials that have been organized into flexible teaching modules and that are designed to facilitate educators’ (re-)connection of math with contemporary issues of global concern. (The resource package begins on page 32 of the pdf file.)
A Humane Education Frequently Asked Questions Document
by Bob Schwalb
Traveling with a Broken Compass: Compassion as Our North Star
by Lynne Westmoreland
This project is the basis of a book that will be titled Traveling with a Broken Compass: Compassion as our North Star. The purpose of the book is to help people, especially other humane educators, move out of the apathy and/or despair often associated with long-term activism work involving environmental ethics, animal protection, and human rights concerns. The book will explore some of the ways that ordinary people can claim their power to create positive attitudes, outcomes, and new visions for the peaceful, compassionate, just, and sustainable world that is our future. (The book excerpts begin on page 31 of the pdf file.)
The Community Restaurant: A Sustainable Model of Community
by James Wildman
A healthy community is one that can provide all its members equal access to healthy, cruelty-free, sustainable food. This ILP provides a model for an alternative soup kitchen that responds to food insecurity by encouraging and empowering all community members to create a healthier neighborhood where hunger no longer exists. This model is based on the research of organizations and people working to create sustainable communities. (The main project begins on page 31 of the pdf file.)
Sample Practicums
Practicums are a requirement for both M.Ed. and M.A. students and give them an opportunity to practice putting humane education into action. Practicum projects represent a 20-40 hour teaching experience and can be executed in a variety of ways.
A Guide to Developing a Humane Education Center
by Sophia Seeremlal Erlsten
This guide offers an outline, as well as tips, strategies and resources for creating an interactive and informative humane education center as part of a community festival or similar venue.You can also see a short video created to highlight the humane education center created for a veg festival in central Florida.
Sample Other Work
Our students and graduates have also written articles and created other works. Here are some examples:
On Being a Parenting Original
by Kelly Coyle DiNorcia
How do you cope when people are questioning or criticizing your parenting choices? The author offers tips and strategies for successfully thriving when your parenting choices are "out of the ordinary."
Published in Mothering Magazine, March/April 2009.
Social Justice and Language Arts
by Christopher Greenslate
Educators who want to teach high school students about the important issues of our time, such as human rights, animal protection and environmental preservation, have an excellent opportunity with language arts. Humane educator and high school teacher Christopher Greenslate explores several examples of using literature to make connections with current social justice issues.
From Green Teacher 80, Winter 2007.
I Wish My Teachers Had Done This With Me
by Phoebe Tufts
A long-time educator, Phoebe has created a collection of ideas and strategies for working with students who struggle with behavior, reading, or writing.
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