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Writer's pictureRIck LeCouteur

Toward a Compassionate Classroom: Inter-species learning and conviviality



Imagine a classroom where students learn not only about academics

but also about their shared world with animals.

 

This isn’t just a vision - it’s a compassionate way of teaching that encourages kids to connect deeply with nature, understanding they’re part of a larger, interconnected community.

 

In this approach, animals are seen not as pets or wildlife but as fellow beings with agency, emotions, and continuity, helping children realize they are part of nature, not separate from it. Children naturally recognize this kinship; as one fifth grader simply put it:


“We live, eat, breathe, and grow - we’re animals too.”

 

Research shows that children sense vitality when around animals, sparking moments of shared experience that foster empathy and ethical engagement. Yet, traditional education often overlooks these relational learning opportunities. Advocates argue for “de-schooling” environmental education, promoting a shift from human-centered norms to a more inclusive perspective. This vision sees classrooms as places of mutual respect and interdependence, nurturing empathetic, ecologically aware individuals.

 

The Challenge

 

Educators, challenge yourselves and your students to observe animals closely - whether it’s the school’s resident fish, visiting a local farm, or simply watching birds outside.


Encourage students to write or discuss what they notice, not only about the animals' behaviors but also how they feel in their presence.


These simple exercises can help shift perspectives, helping students to view

animals as beings with whom they share their world.

 

By embracing an inter-species approach, educators can cultivate a learning environment rooted in empathy and connectedness, helping children see animals as kin and fostering a respectful relationship with all life.

 

This compassionate pedagogy inspires students to understand themselves

as part of a broader ecological web, setting the foundation

for a more ethical, ecologically conscious future.

 

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