“Love and happiness are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” —His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Dear Educators,
Want to inspire your students' imaginations? Check out the story of the Barefoot College, which helps the poorest people in India gain solar-powered electricity, literacy, and access to healthy water.

Share with them the gorgeous photographs and video that vividly convey the remarkable work of the College, which is located in Tilonia, India. Get students talking about this school, inspired by Gandhi, which teaches ordinary people how to make extraordinary and positive change in their community.

As you may know, I'm leaving YES! to join the staff at the newly opened Northwest African American Museum in Seattle. Fortunately, Jing Fong is taking my place, and she will be bringing you future newsletters full of ideas for your classroom. Part of my heart will always be with YES! and with all of you who are helping your students know that a more just and sustainable world is possible.


Kay Hubbard
Education Outreach Manager, YES! Magazine

P.S. Has your free 1-year teacher’s subscription expired? Renew now at our special discount. Spread the word: tell colleagues about our free educator subscription.

Teaching Global Warming in Tumwater
Jana Dean, middle school teacher in Tumwater, Washington, tells her inspiring story of what happened when she took teaching about climate change beyond the text books. What happens when you pause and listen to your student's fears and allow space for them to work through their feelings of powerlessness? In Tumwater, they created a new recycling system for the entire school.

MORE OF YOUR STORIES: Education for peace in Guatemala. Report-back from Focus the Nation. Examples of teaching about human rights, immigration, and sustainability.
Please send us your stories of inspiring teaching to share with our growing network of YES! educators.

The Barefoot College of Tilonia, India is a college created by and for the poor. The college is using an approach to education based on a simple and revolutionary secret: teaching the most powerless skills to be leaders in their communities.

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Gandhian Principles
See how the Barefoot College applies Gandhi’s philosophy in its teaching. Gandhi believed that the knowledge, skills, and wisdom found in villages should be used for their own development before getting skills from outside. This is the philosophy that underpins the Barefoot College.

In Gandhi's Footsteps By Manish Jain A young activist talks about re-engaging with the small, the inefficient, and the mundane.

Being the Change :: Tree A new anthem for India Prepare to be moved by this two-minute video, Tree, which has become an anthem for India.

Depicts 8 million toothpicks, equal to the number of trees harvested in the US every month to make the paper for mail order catalogs. Chris Jordan :: Running the Numbers These amazing photos make statistics on our waste, pollution, and health care visible in ways no graph or pie chart ever could. See the Photo Essay and Video.

The Page That Counts Surprise your students with these startling statistics on the environmental impact of Victoria's Secret, air traffic's contribution to climate change, and hugs and touches. 5 Ways to a Great Place Share these practical research outcomes on what makes a great place, then brainstorm with your students on how to create great places in your school and in your community. Live Free Discussion Guide Thought-provoking questions for your students from the YES! issue, Liberate Your Space. What happens when we recognize our own power and take our world into our own hands?

Bring these brand new teaching tools on climate change into your classroom: digital storytelling and kids as scientists.

BRIDGES to Understanding
How is Climate Change an Opportunity for Us?
Use this inspiring set of teaching tools around a surprising question. The lesson plans focus on journaling and digital storytelling. As your students develop their first films and slide shows, you can follow the work of other schools online.

Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming
How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate
Award-winning photo journalist Gary Braasch has joined forces with children's writer Lynne Cherry to tell the story behind the big climate change headlines and introduce 5th-8th graders to the visual power and science of global warming.

Ask your students to consider Pete Seeger's lyrics and name songs they like that speak of justice, righteousness, and possibilities for a better world. What songs have helped them in their lives?
Want more of Pete? Read our interview with Pete and see the photo essay of Pete at home.

Pete Seeger: Take It from Dr. King (Click on title to view a larger portrait and biography of Pete Seeger) “Song, songs kept them going and going; They didn't realize the millions of seeds they were sowing. They were singing in marches, even singing in jail. Songs gave them the courage to believe they would not fail.” Tools for Teaching: This portrait and quote are part of Robert Shetterly's Americans Who Tell the Truth. See the accompanying curriculum materials with suggestions on how to use the portraits and biographies.

2008 Conference
of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
November 9-11, Raleigh, NC

Check out the call for submissions and awards.

Maestros y profesores de español

Be inspired by these sucessful examples of empowering education from pre-school to college. Invite your students to discuss an article in Spanish from our Liberate Your Space issue, and watch a clip on primary education for peace in Guatemala.
READ: La libertad para aprender by Gustavo Esteva (in English)
WATCH: Education for Peace in Guatemala

Erica Fernandez helped her community stop a gas plant.

Brett Dennen
shows in Ain't No Reason that we are connected to everything and everyone on earth.

Leading film-makers are seeking to change the way we think about other countries. Find out about Pangea Day.

 www.yesmagazine.org

Earth Under Fire
Gary Braasch's dramatic photographs of the world-wide effects of climate change.