When we discuss character education we must look at where we have come from. The Holocaust demands that we take a long look at where we have been as a society and where we are going.
With the advent of Austriaīs Freedom Party, the Popeīs recent visit to Israel, the war in Kosovo, and rising anti-immigrant feelings in Europe it is an appropriate time to recall the horrors of the Holocaust. The Pope apologized for the failings of individuals to act. It was failure to stop the rise of Nazism or for turning our backs on those fighting for their lives. Yet, I wonder if we are doomed to repeat this event. Are we locked into this nightmare of history, or can we do something to ensure that it does not happen again? We have a unique opportunity to connect current and historical events with teachers and students. How can we do this effectively?
Many educators feel inadequate in teaching the Holocaust. Fortunately there are abundant resources available in print and on the web. The first place to begin is the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum which includes guidelines for teaching the Holocaust. Tips, such as not to make comparisons between the sufferings of different peoples throughout history, are elemental to our presentation.
An invaluable site is the Holocaust Teacher Resource Center. This site is part of the Holocaust Web Ring. This web ring links sites related to the Holocaust. Included are video clips. This site takes us to resources not found on most other web pages.
I like to include literature and videos in my unit. Your teaching must always be factual, but fiction and video allows students to make an emotional connection. They know that we are discussing real people, real lives destroyed by hate. Some helpful videos, with grade recommendations:
- Miracle at Moreaux (Wonderworks)--Fourth Grade
- The Hiding Place (Billy Grahamīs Evangelistic Association)--Fifth Grade
- The Devilīs Arithmetic (Showtime)--Sixth Grade (I only use this video after reading the book)
- Anne Frank Remembered (Jon Blair Film Company)--Seventh Grade
- The Holocaust: In Memory of Millions (Discovery Channel)--Eighth Grade
For high school students I recommend the film The Long Way Home (Moriah Films of the Simon Wiesenthal Center). It won the 1998 Academy Award for Best Documentary. It is a powerful examination of what happened to European Jews from the fall of the Third Reich in 1945, to the formation of the state of Israel in 1948. It is a stark, realistic film.
When you have completed your Holocaust unit you may then draw parallels to our world around us. Does the treatment of the Talaban women in Afghanistan qualify as a Holocaust? What can your students do to speak out for the rights of others? How can this be done at home? Abroad?
One of my seventh grade students stated after reading Number The Stars
