324 | Humane Education Movement relationships with everyone: animals, people, and the earth Humane education now encompasses animal protection education, environmental and sustainability education, media literacy, character education, and social justice education It is the only educational movement that currently does so Drawing connections between all forms of oppression and exploitation, humane education empowers and inspires students to be changemakers who not only have the skills to connect the dots between various problems and forms of abuse, but also to find solutions that work for everyone Quality humane education accomplishes its goals through the use of four elements They are: Providing accurate information so that students understand the consequences of their decisions as consumers and citizens Fostering the Cs: curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking, so that students can evaluate information and solve problems on their own Instilling the Rs: reverence, respect, and responsibility, so that students will act with kindness and integrity Offering positive choices that benefit oneself, other people, the earth, and animals, and the tools for problem-solving, so that students are able to help bring about a better world Humane education achieves these goals through interactive and engaging teaching techniques that model compassion, respect, and openness Providing Accurate Information In order to make the kindest and wisest choices, we need knowledge For example, unless we know about the problem of dog and cat overpopulation, the abuse of farmed animals in factory farms, the plight of women and children working in sweatshops, the dangers of certain products and chemicals to the environment, or the escalating travesty of worldwide slavery, to name a few, we cannot make informed, conscious, and humane choices that help solve these growing problems With knowledge, however, individuals, businesses, and governments are able to make choices that not cause suffering and destruction, but instead create a more peaceful, humane world Humane educators help their students by offering them accurate information so that they can make wise and compassionate decisions both personally and as emerging members of a democracy Fostering the Cs: Curiosity, Creativity, and Critical Thinking Humane educators more than expose students to hidden truths They teach the critical thinking skills necessary to evaluate information, as well as foster curiosity and creativity so that students pursue lifelong learning and imaginative, yet practical, solutions to difficult problems When one visits a school where humane education is in progress, one may find students analyzing popular advertising or reading pamphlets from opposing groups, trying to separate fact from opinion Students may be working together to develop creative answers to challenges often portrayed in either/or terms, crafting persuasive essays on various issues,