Opinion
Teaching Profession Opinion

Why Students Should Learn to Be Kind to Animals

By Julie O'Connor — October 31, 2018 3 min read
BRIC ARCHIVE
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

As educators, we’re always looking for new ways to motivate our students and invigorate our teaching. In my class of English-language learners, students often, justifiably, are fearful being in a new country and having to make new friends. Naturally, not feeling comfortable in class can become an obstacle to learning.

But when I integrate humane education, teaching about kindness to animals, in my lessons, I see my students light up.

One of my students who was hesitant to speak in English found her voice when talking about the rabbits and chickens on her grandmother’s farm in Ecuador and how she missed playing with the animals outside. Her participation invigorated a discussion with the other students about animals.

The lowered stress level allows my students to open up, learning more English and engaging in their lessons in a deeper, more attentive way. The room immediately becomes a warmer and friendlier environment.

This learning framework, humane education, is character education that includes teaching about kindness to animals. Fostering compassion and empathy for others, including non-human animals, is one of its overarching goals.

But humane education is not about preaching. Instead, students are encouraged to problem solve. When students learn about the impact humans have on animals, they frequently want to use their voices to work toward a more just and fair world for all of its inhabitants.

Research supports what most teachers and parents know empirically—children are particularly engaged when learning about and interacting with animals. Building on that connection, schools across the country have implemented “reading to dogs” programs because of both the comfort and motivation the animals elicit.

However, the presence of a live animal may not always be feasible or appropriate. Just learning about animals, especially issues of animal welfare, can motivate students to engage with standards-aligned curriculum content and enhance their critical thinking skills.

While character education is unfortunately often viewed as a separate, standalone curriculum, humane education can and should be incorporated into the teaching of academic subjects. For example, math lessons about pet overpopulation teach multiples, readings on endangered species teach children about conflict and problem solving, and advances in testing for product safety allow for science teachers to teach the chemistry and technology behind animal-free testing methods.

In my classes, students learn the academic language and writing format necessary to craft a business letter when they write to local politicians about animal-friendly legislation. They also employ reading, critical thinking, and reasoning strategies when researching the background of the bills. The topic of animals is the gateway to deliver the content you need to teach.

Unfortunately, most adults, let alone children, do not fully appreciate the impact humans cause to the world in which we live. We need to ensure that critical information is relayed to young people, all of whom are set to inherit a currently harmful legacy. Humane education can help future generations address the environmental issues they will face.

Recently, the federal government has opened the national parks to logging and drilling, weakened the Endangered Species Act and animal welfare requirements in organic food labeling, and allowed an increase to trophy hunting, affecting wild animal populations throughout the world.

Most alarmingly, Animal Welfare Act reports have been pulled from public record, making it harder for the public to learn which companies are violating even minimal AWA standards.

As students learn about protecting the habitats of non-human animals, they become aware of how our personal and national decision-making affects all species.

The Institute for Humane Education calls students who participate in humane education “solutionaries,” because when they learn about new topics, they are tasked with problem solving. This can mean problem solving on a global scale—how to protect wildlife habitats or slow climate change. But humane education also promotes interpersonal cooperation and conflict resolution.

In this way, humane education can complement schoolwide goals of social-emotional learning and antibullying initiatives. The framework asks educators and students to expand their definition of “others” to include non-human animals, teaching compassion.

Teaching about kindness to animals awakens the empathy that helps children improve all of their interpersonal relationships, and it develops children who will become change agents for a more positive future.

Related Tags:
Opinion

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Inside PLCs: Proven Strategies from K-12 Leaders
Join an expert panel to explore strategies for building collaborative PLCs, overcoming common challenges, and using data effectively.
Content provided by Otus
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Making Science Stick: The Engaging Power of Hands-On Learning
How can you make science class the highlight of your students’ day while
achieving learning outcomes? Find out in this session.
Content provided by LEGO Education
Teaching Profession Key Insights to Elevate and Inspire Today’s Teachers
Join this free half day virtual event to energize your teaching and cultivate a positive learning experience for students.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Teaching Profession The National Teacher of the Year Finalists Spotlight Literacy's Power
The four 2025 Teacher of the Year finalists highlight literacy’s power to engage students and shape lifelong readers.
7 min read
The 2025 National Teacher of the Year Finalists, from left: Ashlie Crosson, Janet Damon, and Jazzmyne Townsend. Mikaela Saelua, of American Samoa, is the fourth finalist.
The 2025 National Teacher of the Year Finalists, from left: Ashlie Crosson, Janet Damon, and Jazzmyne Townsend. Mikaela Saelua, of American Samoa, is the fourth finalist.
Courtesy photos
Teaching Profession How Can Schools Get More Men to Be Teachers? Look to Nursing for What Works
More men are becoming nurses—offering some lessons for K-12 education.
6 min read
Male teacher figures winding their way down a career path to the entrance of a school.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + iStock/Getty Images
Teaching Profession Three Tips to Help Mentors Work Better With Teachers
A great mentor can help novice teachers progress in their first year and prevent burnout. Here's how to boost their relationships.
3 min read
Illustration of a diverse group of 7 professionals helping one another climb a succession of large bars with some using a ladder.
iStock/Getty
Teaching Profession Opinion The One Quality That Every Great Teacher Shares
A lot has changed during my two decades as a teacher, but one thing is just as true as it was on my first day.
Eduardo Barreto
3 min read
A man carrying a big stone. Concept art of problem solution and hardness. surreal painting. conceptual artwork. 3d illustration
Jorm Sangsorn/iStock