15 Tips for Creating Humane Education Lessons

Image courtesy of USFWS Mountain Prairie
via Creative Commons.

You're passionate about humane education and want to start bringing it to your classroom or community, but you haven't developed lesson plans/activities (at least this kind) before. Don't worry! Here's a good place to start: with IHE's 15 tips for creating dynamic, effective humane education lessons.

1. Take advantage of the wisdom that has come before. Look for relevant resources and lesson plans are already out there and adapt them for your own needs. There are organizations like IHE that offer comprehensive (as well as focused) humane ed activities, as well as organizations dedicated to animal protection, environmental protection, or human rights that provide terrific lessons and ideas.
2. Find a support system and sounding board for feedback, collaboration, ideas, and contacts. There is no shortage of other humane educators, non-profit groups, and professional organizations that can help you.
3. Educate yourself. You wouldn’t teach a foreign language without knowing it well. Be sure that you’re reading a variety of authors and perspectives, learning about the connections among humane issues, and keeping updated on news and changes in these areas.  (You can also take advantage of resources such as our Teaching for a Positive Future online course and get in-depth training with one of our accredited graduate programs.)
4. Use what you're already doing and tweak it. If you're a classroom teacher, for example, take a lesson you're already using and modify it to include humane principles & issues. What elements of that novel lend themselves to exploring humane issues? Tweak those math word problems so that they reflect real-world concerns. Take that science study outside & pair it with nature reverence-building.
5. Consider: What are your objectives? What will success look like? Have a clear plan for your lessons, but build in flexibility, back-ups and extensions (for when things run too short, too long, or just wrong).
6. Start where your audience is. If people are struggling with urgent personal issues (e.g., homelessness, joblessness), they may not be interested in issues perceived as less immediate, such as global warming or animal cruelty, so start exploring how to inspire and empower them in their own situations, as well as working to build reverence and connection on a broader scale.
7. Be careful about making assumptions about what your audience already know, or what they care about. Don't assume that just because you know (or care) about global warming or factory farming or child slavery, that others do, too. If you're unfamiliar with your audience, you can use online sources (e.g., the school's or group's website) to learn more about the culture, values, and concerns of your audience and tailor your lessons accordingly. You may also be able to visit ahead of time to help you gain insights into what they're passionate about.
8. Integrate the 4 elements of humane education into your lessons:
   
   • Provide accurate (age-appropriate) information
   • Instill curiosity, creativity & critical thinking
   • Foster reverence, respect & responsibility
   • Offer positive choices & tools for problem solving
9. Remember that humane education isn't indoctrination; it isn't about telling others what to think or believe. Humane education sparks curiosity and helps others think critically and creatively and make informed choices. There's a difference between asking your audience to think critically about what they believe, and telling them what they should believe.
10. As often as is appropriate, reveal the interconnectedness of issues; tie in the impacts of what your audience is exploring with the environment, animals, and people. Everything is connected, so whatever the topic or issue, help people see how economics, poverty, climate change, consumerism, generosity, bullying, or psychology ties into doing the most good & least harm for people, animals, & planet.
11. Use a variety of creative strategies throughout the lesson, including plenty of interactivity and focus on developing positive solutions. Especially for younger children, stories, songs, and drama/role play are great tools for introducing topics. Remember with all audiences to use stories, not just statistics. Studies show that people can get overwhelmed and lose interest with statistics and big numbers, and that it's easier for most of us to relate on a one-to-one basis. So start by talking about about one animal, or one slave child, or one family in one community affected by climate change.
12. Tap into the wisdom of the group. Your lesson will be much more effective if you use the model of learning together, rather than setting yourself up as the expert to "teach" the uneducated. Give your audience opportunities to share their creative ideas and publicly explore and test their views. Give them power to lead, question, challenge, and develop positive solutions.
13. Be sure that you're modeling your message. Do the materials you're using for the lessons themselves reflect choices that do the most good & least harm for all? Are you showing respect for your audience? Are you handling controversy or heated discussions effectively and compassionately?
14. Practice practice practice. Especially if you're new to speaking in public or are offering a new lesson, practice. Give your lesson plans to a safe audience of supporters and have them give feedback. Videotape yourself and watch for ways to improve. Don't be afraid. Experiment!
15. Evaluate and reevaluate. This is important, both during the lesson and after. If you're trying out a new lesson and it's crashing and burning, don't keep ploughing through. Stop and ask your audience what's not working (or at least try at different tactic). Your students will appreciate your honesty and thank you for respecting their time. If you're a community educator, be sure to have your audience complete evaluations and revise your lesson based on relevant feedback. Consider keeping a notebook to document what worked, what didn't, what you'd like to try again with some adjustments, the feedback you received, etc. One question you might ask yourself when you are reflecting on a lesson or presentation you've given is: If I were to give this same lesson tomorrow, what would I do differently?

 ~ Marsha

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