Helping teachers inspire compassion for animals, people & the environment

About

Blog

What’s in a Name?: Introducing Humane Educator

A new school year brings new ideas, new resources and this year, a new name for our e-newsletter. We are excited to introduce Humane Educator.

We chose the name Humane Educator because we wanted our e-newsletter to speak directly to the audience it is created for — you! When you receive it, we want you to know that you’re part of a community of educators who are helping foster compassion, empathy, kindness and responsibility for animals, people and the environment.

Being a humane educator isn’t about teaching a particular grade or subject. It’s about creating opportunities for students to think about how the choices we make affect others and encouraging them to approach those relationships with care, compassion and respect.

Every time you use a resource, start a conversation, ask students to consider a fresh perspective or help them make a thoughtful choice, you are contributing to that work — that’s what Humane Educator represents.

The e-newsletter will continue to bring the things you’ve come to expect from us: classroom resources, information and ideas, opportunities and more. But now, it has a name that recognizes the important role you play in making those resources come to life.

We’re glad you’re part of the community and we look forward to another year of learning, exploring and making a difference together.

Humane Educator is your e-newsletter. If there’s a topic you’d like us to explore, a classroom success story you’d like to share, or a resource you’d like to see, let us know. The best ideas come from educators like you and your feedback helps to ensure Humane Educator continues to be useful, relevant and inspiring.

Not receiving the e-newsletter?

If you’re an educator who is looking for practical resources and ideas to bring humane education into your classroom, sign up for Humane Educator. You’ll receive the latest updates from the teachers at the Alberta SPCA in your inbox, once a month, throughout the school year.

Students Making a Difference through ‘Class Action’

Service learning projects are a great way to address curricular outcomes while providing students the opportunity to leave a positive and lasting impact on the community. The Alberta SPCA’s ‘Class Action’ projects to help animals, people or the environment provide an opportunity to engage your

Read More »

Fostering Curiosity in the Classroom

Children are naturally curious. We know this from the numerous questions they ask each day. However, for some reason it seems as children get older the number of questions asked become fewer. As educators we want to encourage students to continue asking questions and to

Read More »

After the War: Animals Helping Veterans

Animals had, and continue to have an important role to play in war. In last year’s Remembrance Day blog we discussed the role animals played in The First World War. This year we are looking at service dogs, and the important role they have in

Read More »

Why Curiosity Matters

Curiosity is powerful. It encourages us to ask questions, seek answers, think critically, and find solutions to problems both big and small. It helps us to be open to others, build understanding and foster empathy – and it needs to be nurtured.  Astrophysicist and science

Read More »

Summer Reads for Teachers

We usually highlight great animal-themed books for your students, but this list is just for you! The following suggested reads span fiction to non-fiction and are guaranteed to kindle your curiosity about animals and spark reflection about our relationship to them. Saving Manno by Spencer Sekyer

Read More »

Animals in the classroom: Responsibilities & Rewards

Mrs. Ainslie-O’Connor is a seasoned grade three teacher who has incorporated classroom animals in her teaching for about 10 years. I met with Mrs. Ainslie-O’Connor in her brightly lit grade three classroom in Spruce Grove and was introduced to some of her furry – and not

Read More »

Volunteer Spotlight – April 2019

The Alberta SPCA Education Department is fortunate to have two wonderful volunteers that help us connect teachers to humane education resources they can use in their classroom. Whether it is coming into the office once a week, or helping us at special events, our volunteers

Read More »

What to Expect with AnimalTales

Are you thinking about getting AnimalTales but not sure what to expect? This blog is intended to give you a better idea of how AnimalTales can be used in your classroom. The AnimalTales program is easily adaptable; each activity can be modified to fit the

Read More »

The Rise of Alternatives

Technology is paving the way for advances in science and medicine, and providing opportunities for learning, through the use of alternatives. From Organ-on-a-Chip to a virtual dissection table, superior methods to the traditional use of animals for education and research and being created and implemented.

Read More »

Animals and Remembrance Day

This Remembrance Day marks 100 years since the end of the First World War. Over 650,000 men and women from Canada served in this war, with 66,000 of those making the ultimate sacrifice. That is one in ten people who never returned home to their

Read More »

E-news Sign Up

Subscribe to our monthly e-news for activities, ideas and information on integrating humane education into your classroom!

Receive FREE cross-curricular resources every month!