woman looking into rows and columns of screens, each of which has a different person on it

11 Activities to Help Students Understand Different Perspectives

by Marsha Rakestraw In mid-January, two boys, ages 12 and 13, killed more than 500,000 bees and destroyed tens of thousands of dollars of property. Allegedly just for kicks. In December 2017, a young Muslim woman was attacked on a transit train in Vancouver, Canada. Most people watched; only one young man intervened. Incidences of…

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A young person's hands cupping dirt with a green plant growing out of it

6 Resources for Finding Meaningful Solutions to Global Challenges

by Marsha Rakestraw It’s true that the world is facing numerous grave challenges. And we’re exposed to many of them during our 24/7 omnipresent news cycles. Occasionally we’ll also find some positive stories about people doing good. But usually these stories are focused on small acts of kindness or Band-Aid solutions. And while every compassionate…

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Resources for Teaching About Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice

by Marsha Rakestraw (Almost) every being on Earth shares a common need for clean air, water, and shelter. But we don’t share equitable access. For example: More than half of people who live close to hazardous waste are people of color. Black children are twice as likely to suffer from lead poisoning than are white…

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people talking

9 Things to Remember When Having Spontaneous Conversations About Ethical Issues

by Marsha Rakestraw I hate conflict. (Even the potential for conflict.) And I’m shy. And I’m not very good at knowing the right thing to say in the moment. Already I have three strikes against me when having in-the-moment conversations with others about global ethical issues. As a humane educator, I want to inspire others…

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class

Student Solutionaries Inspired by Jane Goodall

Felice Clyne-Davis is an IHE grad student and a long-time teacher and humane educator in New York City. Recently her students, members of Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots program and piloters of our Solutionary Congress Program, were able to meet Jane and share about their solutionary work for a better world. Felice said: “My students…

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Apps for a better world

Apps for a Better World

Smartphone apps focused on making more ethical choices are proliferating. Find suggested apps to help you make choices that do more good and less harm for people, animals, and the earth. Save

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glacier

5 Things (Social) Science Tells Us to Do When Talking About Climate Change

by Marsha Rakestraw Call it climate change, global warming, climate catastrophe, or the impending apocalypse, we’ve seen that it’s rampaging across our planet and affecting every being on earth. A 2020 poll from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication shows that nearly three quarters of Americans now believe global warming is happening, and 56% believe…

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Edward Best Staff

Introducing Elementary Teachers to Humane Education

by Elizabeth O. Crawford, Ph.D. with Claire Roehl, M.Ed. Speaking at the 2012 Democratic National Convention, Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden declared: “For me, being a teacher isn’t just what I do — it’s who I am. These issues are personal to me.” Like Dr. Biden, I believe that the teacher’s role is not limited…

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What Solutionary Learning Can Look Like: 4 Stories

Transforming our educational system won’t be easy, but I believe that it is the most important and strategic path toward creating more just, peaceful, and sustainable societies populated by healthy, happy, successful people. Because the world inevitably becomes what we teach, it’s up to each of us – whether we are teachers, school administrators, parents,…

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We Must Develop Truly Solutionary Solutions

If you conduct a web search for “kid heroes” you’ll discover wonderful children doing great things. It is inspiring to read their stories, learn about their generosity, and know that kindness and compassion flourish. Yet you’ll likely discover that many of these children are involved in efforts that do not seek to change the systems…

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