The Power and Promise of Humane Education

by Zoe Weil

Overview

Critical world problems call for education that addresses the values and behaviors that perpetuate suffering, oppression, and destruction. Humane education does this, offering young people deeply meaningful education about the issues of our time, teaching them to be critical and creative thinkers, inspiring their reverence and respect, and empowering them to be conscientious decision-makers. This book offers teachers clear suggestions for implementing humane education in both classrooms and non-traditional educational settings. Inviting and easy to use, it describes the four elements of humane education, along with stories, examples, case studies, activities and resources.

Zoe Weil is president of the International Institute for Humane Education. A frequent speaker, she authored Above All, Be Kind: Raising a Humane Child in Challenging Times.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781550924077
Publisher:	New Society Publishers
Publication date:	10/01/2004
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	192
File size:	547 KB

About the Author

Zoe Weil is on the faculty of the University of Maine and Cambridge College, and is President of the International Institute for Humane Education which offers the only comprehensive M.Ed. degree and certificate program in humane education in the U.S. As director of Animalearn -- an animal protection organization -- for seven years, she pioneered the development of humane education, reaching tens of thousands of students annually. A frequent speaker at conferences around the U.S. and abroad, she lives in Surry, Maine.

Table of Contents

Introduction

PART ONE: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE
1. This Is Humane Education
2. The Four Elements of Humane Education
3. Humane Education in Practice

PART TWO: FAQS, ACTIVITIES, AND SUGGESTIONS
4. Frequently Asked Questions about Humane Education
5. Humane Education Activities
6. Suggestions for Implementing Humane Education in Schools
"My Life Is My Message" Questionnaire
Facts, Stats, and Lists

Resources
Index
Acknowledgments
About the International Institute for Humane Education
About the Author

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"This book should be required reading for every educator in the United States. Zoe Weil has laid out a practical guide for accessing complex issues in a manner that is thought-provoking, emotionally uplifting, and joyous. There is no school anywhere in the world that could not adopt at least some portion of the approaches articulated in this book and gift them to students who are, after all, the foundation for a humane future."
— DR. MICHAEL TOBIAS, President, Dancing Star Foundation

"If only we had more writers like Zoe Weil explaining the message and philosophy of humane education. What a genuine revolution we would have in our schools and our hearts."
— COLMAN MCCARTHY, former Washington Post columnist, Director of the Center for Teaching Peace

"Over 30 classroom years as a schoolteacher, and 18 more as a student, I became convinced that the familiar curriculum/testing cycle of institutional schooling decisively unplugs children from humane goals, substituting memory for meaning and procedures for philosophy. In The Power and Promise of Humane Education, chock-full of nuts-and-bolts suggestions, Zoe Weil shows how we can redress the humane balance. Three cheers for this book – and for Zoe."
— JOHN TAYLOR GATTO, former New York State schoolteacher, author of Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling and The Underground history of American Education.

"The Power and Promise of Humane Education is another winner from Zoe Weil. It is practical, down-home and easy to read, a gold mine of information and, above all, inspirational. All educators and activists should read this book very carefully and share it widely. It is that good."
— MARC BEKOFF, author of Minding Animals, editor of the Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior, and cofounder with JANE GOODALL of Ethologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

"The Power and Promise of Humane Education is the best introduction currently in existence to the understanding and practice of the exciting field of humane education. Educational pioneer Zoe Weil's skill at paving a more compassionate and interconnected way for education, through both her words and example, is at once extraordinary and greatly admirable."
— SANDRA HANNEN, President, New World Vision

"A pleasure to read and filled with useful information and resources for everyone who cares about kids and the future of life on Earth, The Power and Promise of Humane Education is an incredibly important book. The longing to give and to serve is part of a child's essential nature, and this book provides insights and practical tools to awaken the highest values in children, helping to raise a new generation that thrives in service and contribution."
— OCEAN ROBBINS, Founder, Youth for Environmental Sanity, Author, Choices For Our Future