Resources for Teachers and Classroom Presenters

Institute for Humane Education

This is the website for the Institute for Humane Education founded by educator Zoe Weil. Based in Surry, Maine, but operating over the entire country, it offers a wide variety of resources and training for humane educators as well as teacher resources, activity and lesson plans, books, and videos.

Institute for Humane Education works to create a better world by:

  • offering people the opportunity to accelerate and deepen their change making skills through accredited online graduate programs, individual online courses, and in-person workshops.
  • providing educators, activists, and compassionate citizens with free and easy online access to thousands of relevant resources.
  • advocating, writing, and speaking widely, so that as many individuals and influencers as possible know about humane education and our work.
  • working to redefine the purpose of ed
  • Education through solutions-focused initiatives, including our Solutionary Program.

Institute for Humane Education

Institute for Humane Education major programs/resources:

  1. Graduate humane education online courses are fully accredited and offered through and affiliation with Valparaiso University.
    • Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Humane Education (36 credits)
    • Master of Arts (M.A.) in Humane Education (36 credits)
    • Concentration in Humane Education for the M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership (15 credits)
    • Concentration in Humane Education for the M.A. in Liberal Studies (15 credits)
    • Graduate Certificate in Humane Education (either stand-alone or added to an existing degree) (15 credits)

     

  2. Solutionary Program. A solutionary is a person who identifies problems, and their underlying systems, and then develops solutions that are just, humane, and sustainable for people, animals, and the environment, and who strives to make personal choices and to support systems that do the most good and least harm for all.It is an academic program that provides a framework and process for students to make a meaningful difference in their schools, communities, and the world in ways that are just, humane, and sustainable.Through the program, students (usually working in teams) select a problem to solve, conduct research, and then develop, refine, and implement a solution. The solution must address the root systems that cause the problem and do the most good and least harm for people, animals, and the environment.The program culminates in an event at which students present their solutions to an audience that includes policy-makers, stakeholders, and media, who can spread their ideas.Ideal for middle and high school learning environments, the program can be integrated into core curriculum, created as an elective, or used in an after-school or club setting.
  3. Institute for Humane Education has an extensive resource center for teachers offering lesson plans and student activities, books, pamphlets, websites, smartphone apps, videos and movies, and resources in multiple languages. Activities, plans, and other resources are available for all age groups.Resources cover a wide range of animal welfare- and animal rights-related issues: activism, animal protection, energy, environment, food and diet, health, human rights, humane education and humane living, language arts, math, media and culture, parenting, peace, science, and history.