The Power and Promise of Humane Education [Paperback]

Zoe Weil (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2004

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.

Editorial Reviews

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.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: New Society Publishers (October 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865715122
• ISBN-13: 978-0865715127
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #727,721 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Zoe Weil is the President of the Institute for Humane Education, and the author of several books for students, educators and parents including So, You Love Animals. Claude and Medea is Weil's first foray into fiction.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Change the world in one generation!, November 4, 2004

By 

M. K. Kandziolka (Hope, ME USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Power and Promise of Humane Education (Paperback)

This book is inspiring! If I ever have a day when I am full of despair for the state of the world, I will pick up Zoe Weil's book! Her optimism for a future full of wise decision makers is contagious. Weil describes people who are making a difference and offers her common sense method for teaching people about current issues. The book is clearly written, is full of ideas for curriculum implementation, and offers a large list of resources.

Weil points out that humane education is about providing accurate information and offering positive choices. It does not tell people what to think. Her activities promote critical thinking, instill reverence, and are fun. If every educator had this book, we would change the world in a generation!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Education that Matters to the World, December 7, 2004

By 

Mariama Binta (West Africa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Power and Promise of Humane Education (Paperback)

If our children really learn that the decisions they make, even small decisions, have an affect on the world they inhabit they will have received a true and relevant education. As a teacher and a mother, I read this book with great relish. The time has come for humane education, our world has never needed it more. I will buy this book for many parents and educators I know. Ms. Weil offers a way out of our cycle of uninspiring and increasing obsolete education -- it's revolutionary in its simplicity. Thank you.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fulfills Its Promises, September 25, 2005

By 

Martin Rowe - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Power and Promise of Humane Education (Paperback)

It's pretty clear that all too often the current education system is a way to park kids in a centralized location until they are ready to graduate from child consumers to adult consumers. Zoe Weil reimagines education from the beginning up and encourages parents, teachers, and every responsible individual to give children an opportunity to grow into passionate, critically astute, and engaged citizens. What more could you want for a country, and what more could you want from a book?