Zoe Weil on Education, Creating Solutionaries to Solve World Problems, and Systems Thinking | Evolve 069

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Zoe Weil is the co-founder and president of the Institute for Humane Education (IHE), and is considered a pioneer in the comprehensive humane education movement that works to create a peaceful, healthy, and just world for all people, animals, and the environment through education. Zoe is a frequent keynote speaker at educational, animal protection, environmental and other conferences and has given six TEDx talks including her acclaimed talk, “The World Becomes What You Teach”, which became one of the 50 top-rated TEDx talks within a year of its video release. She is the author of seven books including "The World Becomes What We Teach: Educating a Generation of Solutionaries;" Nautilus silver medal winner "Most Good, Least Harm," Moonbeam gold medal winner "Claude and Medea," and "Above All, Be Kind."

As a special treat, Zoe and I also got to chat with Andra Yeghoian, Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Coordinator, about her work in San Mateo County implementing Zoe's philosophy in 23 school districts serving 113,000 students.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• Why we must educate students to solve the worlds most pressing problems
• How to change the education system at scale
• How an entire county of 23 schools districts is creating 113,000 Solutionaries
• How to face extremely difficult challenges like solving the education crisis
• Step by step how to identify the root of a problem and begin creating a solution
• and much more...

Full show notes, transcripts, and resources can be found here: evolvethe.world/episodes/69

The Evolve podcast is produced by Plato University and is a member of the  Social Good Media Network

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) - Introduction

(01:38) - Zoe's Mission with the Institute for Humane Education

(01:59) - Why our current education system's goal is insufficient

(05:03) - How an educator in San Mateo county experiences these problems

(07:58) - Why education is the root of all other systems

(11:11) - What's at stake if we don't fix education

(14:28) - What is a Solutionary

(17:05) - Step by step of how to think like a Solutionary

(24:11)  - Why San Mateo County implemented this philosophy

(29:18) - How to implement a Solutionary curriculum

(33:11) - The results of implementing this curriculum in San Mateo County

(37:35) - Is it right to expose kids to global issues

(44:19) - The pushback educators experience when implementing curriculum

(50:27) - What is a Solutionary Fair

(52:55) - How effective is this solution at solving the education crisis

(57:03) - How Zoe started the Institute for Humane Education

(1:01:10) - How to change education at scale

(1:03:41) - How to face extremely tough challenges

(1:10:44) - Call to Action

(1:11:37) - How to push the world to evolve