Betsy Farrell-Messenger, IHE certificate graduate, sees the possibilities for the growth of kindness and responsibility. She has been teaching for 21 years. Her focus is the natural sciences, with an emphasis on environmental issues and the connections to humans and animals. Currently Betsy lives in New York and serves her school as a 6th grade…
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by Marsha Rakestraw All you have to do is glance at the media to know that racism, stereotypes, and bias are alive and well in the U.S. And, while many ethnic groups endure these prejudices and indignities, there’s a special category of oppression for Native peoples of North America. This continent belonged to hundreds of…
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by Marsha Rakestraw As I scroll down my Facebook wall, I skim across a horrific image of cruelty that someone has posted, with a caption that merely says “This has to stop!” and no other information. The image is so traumatizing that I quickly skip by it, and even consider hiding that person’s posts from…
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IHE M.Ed. graduate Rosana Ng was born and raised in Hong Kong and lived for several years in Toronto, Canada. She spent many years in the clothing business, traveling extensively. For her, life was about moving ahead. When Rosana found humane education, she “made a 180-degree turn in life.” Rosana now lives with four dogs…
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by Marsha Rakestraw Talking about race, racism, and institutional oppression can be challenging, especially when many white people are feeling defensive, uncomfortable, and confused. Videos, including those using humor, can be a great tool for introducing tough-to-talk-about conversations, and a meaningful catalyst for exploring what can be subtle, complex issues. Here are four resources that…
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by Marsha Rakestraw IHE M.Ed. graduate Cassandra Scheffman was raised with a love of animals and the natural world. She has worked in the environmental nonprofit sector, taught high school and as an environmental educator, and now works as the associate director of adult programs at the First Unitarian Church of Portland in Oregon. Cassandra…
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Last year Ivy and Liat, students at Reed College in Portland, Oregon, connected with Mandy Schmidt, an IHE M.Ed. student, to develop a humane education summer camp for students in Hefei, China. Ivy (Chang) He, is an international student from Heifei, and founded the group Humaneness 101. Liat Yael Kastner is studying environmental studies and…
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by Marsha Rakestraw You’re passionate about creating a better world. You have a great idea. But what you lack is the funding to implement your project. Many a great changemaking idea has been stifled by the challenge of finding funding. And in the past, options were limited and often a bit complicated. But with the…
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by Marsha Rakestraw “The soul cannot thrive in the absence of a garden.” ~ Thomas More Gardens are full of life, diversity, and wonder. They feed us physically and emotionally. They can be made of plants, rocks, or other materials. And their seeds can blossom into food, or memory, or hope. Gardens of all sorts…
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Felice Clyne-Davis, a fifth grade gifted and talented teacher in New York City, has been a public school teacher for 24 years. Felice regularly infuses humane education into her teaching. She says: “I am proud that students in my class throughout the years have flourished as critical thinkers, readers, writers, creative problem solvers, and observers…
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