Tips For Bringing Humane Education Into Schools

The following are some of the best ways we've found to reach a substantial audience of individuals with the power to schedule Humane Education presentations:

• Contact your local Guidance Counseling Office within the school system. Ask to meet with the Director of this office and present the need for Humane Education. Many school systems now have elementary and middle as well as high school guidance counseling departments.

• In meeting with the Director of Guidance, dress professionally and be polite. Bring a sampling of materials to be used and distributed. If you use puppets, videos, or other media, make sure to include these items in your presentation. 

• Demonstrate the ways in which Humane Education can be tied into and support all courses - Character Education, Social Studies, Science/Biology, Math, History, and Language Arts to name a few. This is especially important given the tremendous pressure on a school's time and resources to meet federal standards as well as state and county standards.

• If possible, request to showcase your presentation at a meeting for all of the guidance counselors - with this large, attentive audience, you will have the opportunity to present your case, to answer questions and to distribute your contact information.

• Of course, these tips are useful for reaching out to local clubs, church youth groups, scout troops, animal shelters and other venues as well. If you are new to humane education, beginning with smaller groups is a great way to develop your lessons, presentation skills, and resume as a humane educator.