The Bulletin Board
Here we will celebrate the work of our students and look at ways they are creating a more just and equitable world!
Imagining a Solutionary World
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Over the last few weeks, our class has talked about:
Each week we built upon on these topics until the bigger picture was uncovered. Through mind mapping, research, and inquiry, my students were able to link the connected systems of injustice and identify leverage points of change. For their final assignment, I asked them to use their imagination to create a *Solutionary World, a world liberated from injustice. While I offered guideposts to help them think through this design, I also kept it as open as possible. I didn’t want to put any restrictions on their imagination because imagining gives us radical hope and that is exactly what we need when trying to create a more just and equitable world. Look at what each group presented! Now it’s your turn to use your imagination! What does your Solutionary World look like? |
*"Solutionaries are motivated by compassion and justice and driven to cultivate their creative-, critical-, strategic- and systems-thinking skills in order to address the underlying causes of entrenched and interconnected problems. Solutionaries strive not to harm one group while helping another, including other people, animals, or the environment." -Defined by Zoe Weil, Co-founder of The Institute for Humane Education
Research a Changemaker
Here is just a sample of the outstanding work my students did this week!
For this assignment, I had my students research a changemaker from Robert Shetterly's Americans Who Tell the Truth
portrait series and think about how they can apply what they learned to their life and how it could inspire them to make change.
In class, we then talked about the characteristics of a changemaker. Here are a few they came up with.
The goal of this assignment was to set the stage for self-actualization. I wanted them to see themselves in these characteristics and think about who they were and how they could use their passion and talents to change the world.
I'm so proud of their work!
For this assignment, I had my students research a changemaker from Robert Shetterly's Americans Who Tell the Truth
portrait series and think about how they can apply what they learned to their life and how it could inspire them to make change.
In class, we then talked about the characteristics of a changemaker. Here are a few they came up with.
- Persistent
- Curious
- Wasn't afraid to ask questions and challenge the status quo
- Open to being vulnerable
- Persevered in the face of challenges
- Used their talents & passion to create change.
- Ordinary person
- Decided to Act
- Brave
The goal of this assignment was to set the stage for self-actualization. I wanted them to see themselves in these characteristics and think about who they were and how they could use their passion and talents to change the world.
I'm so proud of their work!
Finding the Connection Between People, Animals, & the Environment
Look at these mind maps that my students presented this week! I asked the class to explore the connections between animals, people, and the environment.
Leading up to the assignment, they took a virtual animal sanctuary "tour" at Farm Sanctuary to learn about the ways in which our society uses and exploits animals. I then asked them to read additional articles to learn about the impacts of the animal agricultural industry on people and on the environment.
In class we talked about the importance of supporting healthy ecosystems, how the animal agriculture industry exploits humans, animals, and environmental resources, ways in which health and disease (especially zoonotic disease like COVID-19) play a role in this system, and how the resulting climate crisis further shines a light on inequity and racist policies in our society.
I love their creativity and the depth in which they researched this topic.
The seeds of change have been planted!
Leading up to the assignment, they took a virtual animal sanctuary "tour" at Farm Sanctuary to learn about the ways in which our society uses and exploits animals. I then asked them to read additional articles to learn about the impacts of the animal agricultural industry on people and on the environment.
In class we talked about the importance of supporting healthy ecosystems, how the animal agriculture industry exploits humans, animals, and environmental resources, ways in which health and disease (especially zoonotic disease like COVID-19) play a role in this system, and how the resulting climate crisis further shines a light on inequity and racist policies in our society.
I love their creativity and the depth in which they researched this topic.
The seeds of change have been planted!
Equity & Justice
How can we practice equity and justice? This was the question that I posed to my class. Take a look at their answers!
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I love this collage that one of my student's made based on an assignment about power, privilege, and equity!
During our class meeting, we also did an activity based on the Diversity Wheel in Privilege, Power, and Difference by Allan Johnson. I was so impressed with the discussion, insight, and conversation that resulted from this activity. They made me hopeful that a better world is in the making. |