Educator, Changemaker, Environmentalist, Lawyer: An Interview with Hans Hageman

Hans Hageman has worn many hats, among them school founder, educator, coach, lawyer, activist, and environmentalist. He’s a role model for youth and adults alike, and we are so grateful that among his significant volunteer choices (such as firefighter as seen in this photo), he serves on IHE’s Curriculum Advisory Board.  IHE: Hans, you were…

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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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Ending the Violence With Meaningful Solutions

I am a humane educator, a person dedicated to creating a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world through education. This past week’s killings of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and five Dallas police officers underscore the necessity of educating a generation of solutionaries who have the capacity and the will to prevent such violence from continuing…

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social media

Empower Don’t Paralyze: 6 Tips for Sharing About Global Ethical Issues

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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rainforest in the classroom

Why We Need Humane Education: Students Need to Be Solutionaries

by Amanda Schmidt In 1995 when I was eight years old, we moved from Palmdale, California, across the country to Buffalo, New York, where I still currently live. Some of my best memories are from living in California. My early experiences there laid the foundation that has led me to humane education. Palmdale is a…

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post it notes

Inspiring Changemakers to Find Solutions with the Rethink Challenge

by Marsha Rakestraw One of the most powerful aspects of humane education is its focus on positive solutions. Educating students about global challenges is important, but it’s the integration of connection, creativity, critical thinking, and creating solutions that really feeds and enables students’ hunger for becoming changemakers for a better world. In the Summer 2014…

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