Teaching the Holocaust in middle school

Teaching the Holocaust

Jackie,

I understand your concern in this area. When I did my student teaching, I
planned to bring a guest speaker who was a survivor from the Holocaust into
my classroom. WAY before I did that, we spent a lot of time in discussions,
journals, etc. talking about how sometimes when we felt uncomfortable, we
made inappropriate comments, laughed, etc. I told them that it was okay to
FEEL uncomfortable, but not to make anyone else feel that way. We discussed
how we would like to be treated as well as similar situations with other
ethnic groups. For example, we talked about slavery, the war in Bosnia, the
loss of rights to Japanese- and German-Americans, discrimination against
women and those with disabilities. . .basically, each one of my students
could identify with at least one of those groups. I had them write about a
time when someone had singled them out for teasing or downright cruel
treatment because of something about them. . . I found that my kids started
to REALLY understand the danger inherent in prejudice.

Another group of teachers in my area sets up an experiment where they have
two classes in a room at one time, divide them into groups to complete a
task, then make positive and negative comments about the GROUPS they're
in--jocks, cheerleaders, brains, etc. BEFORE any child leaves the room,
they have a debriefing--they talk about how everyone felt, the purpose of
the exercise, etc. They handle it very well, but I think they work as a team
and have planned for everything. It is an effective exercise, but I don't
feel comfortable personally with doing it; it's not in my personality, and
the kids I'm working with now couldn't handle it.

I'd be interested in hearing what others have to say about dealing with the
situation you mentioned.

Ellen

>I am a secondary English teacher, andI am very interested in teaching children
>about the Holocaust. I think literature is an excellent tool to use to do
>this. In the past I have used various short stories and poems, in addition to
>Anne Frank. For the most part children really respond well and seem to be
>genuinely affected by this learning experience. My question is this, however:
> What do I do or say to those students who insist on making
>inappropraite comments? By inappropriate I mean that students make jokes
>about what happened to the Jews because it is so far out of reach for them to
>understand. Some even proudly wear drawn swastikas on their hands or arms. I
>have tried to explain that such behavior is unexceptable, but prejudice, or
>even ignorance, is usually something learned at home and is not easy to
>eliminate. I don't want to remove them from class because they need to be
>there to gain an awareness about this event.
> Any suggestions?
>
> Jackie Moffitt

Jackie:

One activity that our English teacher does with the children each year
is called a "Blue Dot" activity. Each 7th grade student draws a straw
and the students with the shorter straws becomes a "Blue Dot" for a
day. (They wear a 5inch light blue elaminated circle pinned onto their
shirt to symbolize that they are different from others.) The Blue Dot
students are to be treated poorly for the entire day by faculty, family,
and other students. For example, the blue dots are isolated in the
classroom; they have to do twice as much work as others, they have to
each lunch away from other students and after the others eat, parents
don't allow phone calls or activities after school, etc. Of course all
of this is prefaced by discussion with staff and information sent home
to parents.

The Blue Dots learn what it is like to be randomly discriminated
against--all because they drew the shorter straw! They learn what it is
like to be teased, isolated, etc. The next day, the students meet to
discuss what it was like on both sides. Some non blue dots mentioned
that they did not want to tease or torment the blue dots but once others
started, they joined the group. A couple of the blue dots had a very
difficult time being isolated in each and every classroom. For example,
in my tech lab, I had all of the blue dots sit on the floor facing a
wall, looking straight ahead, and allowed zero communication. This is a
wonderful lesson for all of us to learn what it is like to discriminate
against others and how it tugs at one's own heart.

I found it to be an eye opening experience for myself as a cooperating
teacher as well as for the students. I also noticed a higher level of
sensitivity towards each other from the students who had been blue dots
and who had previously "teased" others. Tolerance and understanding had
been enhanced.

Kristi

Ellen's response dealt with the main point that I'd also like to stress. In
order to thwart what we deem as inappropriate responses to learning about
something as sensitive as the Holocaust, we need to prepare out students with
a lot of background information so they can understand the context. It's less
likely, then, that they will respond with giggles or smark-alecky remarks.

I spend a lot of time giving the students background on the years prior to the
"Final Solution"--years in which Jews were gradually deprived of their rights,
isolated, propagandized against, and dehumanized--so that when the
deportations to the concentration camps began, there was little concern or
opposition from a public that had been well brainwashed. I also share with
them the official Nazi plan to eliminate all the Jews from the German sphere
of influence. I read aloud the story "Terrible Things: An Allegory of the
Holocaust" by Eve Bunting, and I show them the videotape of Steven Spielberg's
"Survivors of the Holocaust" and let them hear firsthand from survivors of
their experiences. (There are numerous other books and resources that I'd be
happy to share if anyone is interested).

It is only when the students have a clear understanding of the factual events,
and when they can attach a human face to that chapter in their social studies
textbook, that they can truly appreciate whatever work of fiction we might
want to share with them about the Holocaust.

Howard Miller

Jackie,
I will offer you several statements from a friend of mine who is a Holocaust
survivor and who heads our state council on Holocaust education. Then I
suggest that you contact the National Holocaust Memorial Museum education
department and ask your questions there. They have many educators and
workshops available for teacher who wish to teach about the Holocaust.
From my friend:
You will not get to every student. Be satisfied with reading some. I'll add
that knowing young people they may sometimes handle the situation for you out
of class. Lots of young people talk to try to show off and say things they do
not believe. Others say nothing in class, but talk among themselves.
Teach empathy and prejudice do not try to teach sympathy. You do not need to
be Jewish to have experienced prejudice. Examine how prejudice hurts all and
the society in general.
Everyone lost during the Holocaust. Numbers do not mean anything so don't use
them. However, if these people would have lived what might they have done.
Do you know doctors, artists, athletes who were Jewish? How many others with
talent died?
Lastly what books are you using? I suggest Jacob's Rescue. While Jacob is
Jewish the family suffers much and they are Christian. This may help. Mary E.
Haas

Jackie,
I, too, have had some difficulty in teaching about the Holocaust. The
students were able to grasp the numbers and concentration camp names etc. but
I was dumbfounded when I overheard some of the callous comments.
One of the ways that I tried to drive home the story of Anne Frank was I used
masking tape and outlined on the floor the approximate dimensions of the
attic. We then took turns (7or 8 at a time) "hiding"in the attic. It became
crystal clear almost immediatly that we were not talking about an apartment or
a penthouse. No one in the "attic" was allowed to speak or move (or use the
lav). They had to remain completely quiet as if their lives depended on it.
I also brought in some homemade cabbage soup, a Frank family staple. The kids
thought it stank, literally and figuratively!!!
With the permission of the parents, via a letter home regarding topic and
potentially disturbing items, I began to show pictures of the actual death
camps. Let the kids look at the faces. Sometimes they are not being
insensitve to the issue, it's just too hard to believe that this could
actually have happened. It's like people going to a funeral and saying that
the death was a blessing. Maybe, but I'd rather have my family still alive,
blessing or no. Sometimes we think saying something, anything, is better than
not saying anything at all.
Hope that some of this helps. It's not one of the issues that will ever
become easy for you to teach because it has touched you in a very meaningful
way. Your students will see that and will learn. Hang in there.
K. Meredith
English Teacher

I have noticed quite an interest in the Holocaust theme. I would just like
to make a couple of comments about it. I have taught this theme for the
past 2 years in my reading class. I am German born(not Jewish-and not a
survivor), but I have a pretty good knowledge base from my grandparents and
my parents. By far the best book that I have ever encountered is the one
that the National Holocaust Museum sells. I went there a few years back and
went through an exhibit called Daniel's Story. They also have a book about
it. It is considered a fiction book because there is no Daniel, but all the
history is factual and it is written from Daniel's point of view. Very
simplistic, but oh so powerful is the writing. My 8th graders stop dead in
their tracks with some of this writing. No other holocaust book has made
such an impression on me as this one. I have read most of them(ones for
adolescents), but unless the kids have a previous backround, most of the
stuff in the books will mean nothing. With Daniel's Story that is not the
case. He explains everything and explains it in such a way that an
adolescent can at least get an understanding of what people went through
during this time.

Just my 2 cents worth.
Rita

I have found that using literature makes the Holocaust real to my students. I
have never experienced students taking it lightly after some of the reading we
did as a class. I'll look up the titles of the books I used and post them.

Pam

I also teach the Holocaust. I think the first step would be to try and
analyze what's going on and what the context is? Probably, different students
do this for different reasons? Where do you teach? What are the students
like who do this like? What is exactly the nature of their comments? What is
their attitude? What do you think they are trying to accomplish with their
behaviors?

Steve Cohen

Steve
Have you tried the isolation experiment. When students come into class put
them on one side of the room or the other. Treat one side of the room with
kindness and respect. Give them candy. Ignore the other side . Put them down
when they make comments etc. IN other words treat them , in essence, as
outcasts. Then relate this to how the nazis treated the jews. Hopefully ,
they'll understand a little better how it feels to be treated differently due
to their beliefs.

Peace,
Michael

There are districts here in Western NY where parent groups have stopped such
classroom activities (specifically....the old blue eyes/brown eyes) on the
grounds that they feel it is cruel and unusual treatment of the children in
the group being discriminated against.

There are parents who are concerned with their children's self-esteem, of
course. There are other parents who are.....wittingly or
otherwise....raising their children to be little bigots, and they are very
happy with the results.

Jan Reuther

This is a very real concern-- that is why this exercise is best not done in
elementary school. However, for middle schooler and up I feel it's a very
worthwhile endeavor. Parents might do a little soul-searching realizing
that what they don't want their child exposed to on a very temporary basis
and in a very limited way is what millions of minority children are exposed
to day in and day out . . .

<<There are other parents who are.....wittingly or
otherwise....raising their children to be little bigots, and they are very
happy with the results.>>

Heartbreakingly sad, but oh so true . . . amz

Jan Reuther

Rita,

I visited the National Holocaust Museum this summer. I also visited the
Daniel's Story exhibit. It is an excellent way for adolescents to get a
feel for the travesties of this era.

Bob Stansberry, Ed.D.
University of West Florida

Rita,

The Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust is an excellent resource.

http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/

Blue Web'n described it as a "must see" web site. "With the powerful combination of words, music,
photographs and art, the site provides a factual but chilling account of the Holocaust, its victims and perpetrators. Teacher resources, classroom activities, Web links, a Holocaust glossary and timeline."

John

When I was in college, one of my professors showed us the movie "The Wave" based
on the book of the same name. I believe it was a true story of a teacher in high
school who tried to get his students to understand the Holocaust and how it could
happen by creating a fictional group called the Wave that excluded certain people,
had special salutes and meetings. Unfortunately for the teacher his "experiment",
well meaning as it was, got way out of hand and the Wave began running the school
complete with its own police force.. One of the most powerful scenes in the film
is at the end when the teacher show the students the "leader" of the Wave and
unveils a huge picture of Hitler. Most students are shocked but one student, the
"outcast" from the beginning who went who hog into the Wave, is crushed because he
now no longer fit in or had power. The movie is outstanding and shows just how
easy it is to go along with the prevailing prejudice in a large group. We need to
keep in mind the dangers inherent in encouraging students to experience the
prejudices that cause hatred and allow things like the Holocaust to occur without
some serious prep work before hand and debriefing after. At this age they are so
quick to judge that we as educators must think twice about engaging in classroom
activities that single any group or individual out without clearing establishing
guideline and safety nets before hand. Just my $.02.

Hillary

I, also, teach a fairly intensive (extensive) unit on the Holocaust in
my 8th grade classroom.

I don't believe that discriminating against the students (in any way --
even if you're "just pretending") is any way to teach them to not be
discriminatory. "Let me make you feel bad so that you don't treat
others badly" does not have much reasoning behind it.

I would never try this in my classroom.

LaDonna Ourada

It's not quite as simplistic as that. The goal is not to make the students
"feel bad." The point is that you separate students into arbitrary groups
based upon a meaningless attribute. Blue eyes and brown eyes was used in
the famous example of this technique. But blue eyes can be classified as
"Aryan" so in my mind it would be best to use something totally devoid of
value in our society-- e.g. separate those wearing blue, or jeans, or
sneakers or something meaningless such as that and designate these as the
"superior" group.

Hillary Hobbs wrote:
<<At this age they are so quick to judge that we as educators must think twice about engaging in
classroom activities that single any group or individual out without clearing
establishing guideline and safety nets before hand.>>

Pamela Chandler wrote:
<<And there have been situations where this exercise has been taken too far.
I have personally known teachers who were pulled into the situation as much as
the kids. The teacher had not ever intended on causing emotional harm to a
child, but did so anyway. Remember, we do not always know what baggage a
child brings with them to school.>>

I must admit that I have never participated in nor conducted such an
exercise so I can't testify to its pros or cons from experience. Judging by
some of the comments generated by this thread it's safe to assume that this
is potentially a very powerful experience. As such it has the potential to
be an extremely effective demonstration while also having the potential to
possibly at least in the short term harm the esteem of some vulnerable
students. Might I suggest, then, that it only be carried out for one class
period. This would likely be enough to get the point across without risking
undue discomfort to any of the students.

As I noted before, this is *reality* day in and day out for many minority
students. I don't believe it is asking too much for the majority students
to experience some discomfort in such a limited setting and time period. If
we are to have any hope of a less racist future, we must look towards the
children . . . amz

<< Right !!! I usually separate based on those with different colored sneakers
or sometimes those with short hair and those with long. >>
This makes no sense. The issue in genocide is that the targeted group cannot
change to get out their situation and that the feature that is targeted about
them has not been chosen by them. Targeting children in this way is in a
sense targeting them for _choices_ they have made.

Steve Cohen

Ok, time to defend myself. My original suggestion for simulation was in
response to the request of what to do with kids who insist on wearing
swastikas (sp?) and making inappropriate remarks. I would hope that as
educators we all understand that you don't go too far or let things get out
of hand AND that no lesson should be taught in just one way or using one
method only. But I do think that kids are pampered and protected way too much
today. Kids are extremely resilient at the middle school level and they can be
devastated by any one comment at any one moment. It is a balancing act on a
tight rope to say the least. But let's not forget that whatever "hurt" real or
imagined a kid might sustain from a simulation , it is NOTHING compared to the
inhuman treatment of the Jewish sect during this horrible era of world
history.

Michael Fleming

Several years ago, a "gifted" middle school class read Number the Stars, a
Holocaust "rescue" story by Lois Lowry. The students were assigned to create
posters and displays relating to the story, and their work was displayed on
the walls of the school. Several of the children made anti-Semitic propoganda
posters, and these were displayed without comment all around the building. I
very gently pointed out to their teacher that someone unfamiliar with the
intent or context in which these posters were created might interpret them as
anti-Semitic, with the added attraction of having the approval of the school.

I suggested that the students add some narrative to their pictures to place
these in the context of the book. The teacher, however, went around the
building and ripped down all of the displays--not because she thought there
was anything inappropriate about them, but because she perceived that I was
annoyed with her.

The road to promoting cultural sensitivity is a long and winding one, and one
can only push forward, tilting at windmills and hoping for the best.

Howard Miller
MiddleDoc@aol.com

Books

Appelman-Jurman, Alicia. Alicia: My story. Memoir of a Holocaust survivor.

Brown, Jean; Stephens, Elaine; and Rubin, Janet (eds). Images from the
Holocaust: A Literature Anthology. Just as the title suggests.

Bunting, Eve. Terrible Things: An Allegory of the Holocaust. Picture book
in which a group of animals living together in peace are visited by Terrible
Things, which take them away species by species.

Duba, Ursula. Tales from a child of the enemy. Poems written by a German
gentile woman about her life and observations before, during, and after the
Holocaust.

Innocenti, Robert. Rose Blanche. Picture book. Rose Blanche, a German
gentile girl, discovers a concentration camp not far from her home. She takes
it upon herself to bring food to the prisoners; in the end, she is killed,
quite possibly by the camp,s liberators.

Keneally, Thomas. Schindler,s List. The novel on which the film was based.

Matas, Carol. Daniel,s Story. Long-time residents of Frankfurt, Daniel,s
family doesn,t believe they have anything to fear from the Nazis until they
are arrested, shipped to the ghetto, and then to a concentration camp.

Rittner, Carol and Roth, John (eds). Different Voices: Women and the
Holocaust. Personal accounts and essays by and about the experiences of
Jewish women during the Holocaust.

Spiegelman, Art. Maus. Pulitzer-prize winning comic strip version of the
Holocaust story in which Jews are depicted as mice and the Nazis as cats.

Volavkova, Hana (ed). I never saw another butterfly: Children,s drawings and
poems from Terezin Concentration Camp, 1942-1944. Just as the title explains.

Yolen, Jane. The devil's arithmetic. A contemporary girl goes back in time
and experiences life in a concentration camp. Excellent, harrowing novel.

Wild, Margaret and Vivas, Julie. Let the celebrations begin! Picture book,
based on a true story. Just prior to liberation, women in a concentration camp
gather together scraps of rags, buttons, anything they can find, to make toys
for the children.

Other resources

Jackdaw Publications makes reproductions of original documents pertaining to
various events in history, including the Holocaust. Excellent resource.

Steven Spielberg followed up Schindler,s List with his Shoah Project (Shoah is
the Hebrew word for the Holocaust), which involves hundreds of interviews with
survivors all around the world. Some of these interviews are contained in a
breathtaking video called Survivors of the Holocaust.

Howard Miller
MiddleDoc@aol.com