Mini Course: Teaching Holocaust and Human Behaviour (Canada) | Facing History & Ourselves
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Professional Learning

Mini Course: Teaching Holocaust and Human Behaviour (Canada)

In today’s global climate, the urgency of sustaining democratic societies that are pluralistic, open, and resilient to violence is more pressing than ever. Studying the Holocaust allows students to wrestle with profound moral questions raised by this history while fostering their skills in ethical and moral reasoning, critical analysis, empathy, and civic engagement - all of which are critical habits of mind for sustaining democracy.

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About this event:

Multi-Session

Our multi-session professional learning series are designed for in-depth exploration of themes and topics that help educators strengthen their skills and competencies. Session information is included in the event details.

Instructor-Led

This professional learning event will be led by Facing History staff. When you register, you will receive instructions for how to attend the event.

In today’s global climate, the urgency of sustaining democratic societies that are pluralistic, open, and resilient to violence is more pressing than ever.  Studying the Holocaust allows students to wrestle with profound moral questions raised by this history while fostering their skills in ethical and moral reasoning, critical analysis, empathy, and civic engagement - all of which are critical habits of mind for sustaining democracy.

In this facilitated online mini course featuring Holocaust and Human Behavior you will:

  1. Learn current scholarship on the history of the Holocaust and new research focused on human behaviour, group dynamics, and bias
  2. Increase your ability to facilitate respectful classroom discussions on difficult issues such as racism, antisemitism, and other forms of exclusion in a way that invites personal reflection and critical analysis
  3. Learn a new way of structuring curriculum to help students connect history to their own lives and the choices they make
  4. Engage with classroom-ready multimedia resources that enable you to bring scholarship on the history of antisemitism, the Holocaust and human behaviour to students
  5. Discover new teaching strategies that help students interrogate texts, write and think critically, as well as discussing controversial issues respectfully
  6. Engage with survivor testimony and use sensitive and thought-provoking teaching strategies to bring this history into the classroom

Independent evaluation has shown that implementing Facing History’s approach improves students’ higher-order thinking skills, increases students’ civic efficacy and engagement with civic matters, and increases students’ tolerance for others who hold contrary views from their own.

 Who should take this mini-course: This course is intended for middle and secondary school teachers who are interested in learning a transformative approach to teaching about the history of the Holocaust and other challenging moments.  Please note due to our funding sources, priority acceptance into this course will be given to Canadian classroom educators.

Duration: 5 weeks.  This course contains 4 modules; A new module will be introduced each week.  Each module includes online self-guided work (approximately 90 minutes), optional resources to deepen your learning, and weekly live online learning classes in Zoom (75 minutes).

 Time commitment: Approximately 3 hours each week for 4 weeks. 

 Format:   Each week’s module will follow a similar structure: 

  • Approximately 90 minutes of online self-guided work to complete in preparation for each week’s synchronous discussions. 
  • A 75 minute facilitated live online learning class with whole- and small-group activities.
  • Optional extension activities to be completed anytime during the week. 

The 75 minute live learning sessions will not be recorded and will take place on Zoom on the following dates:  

Live Online Learning Sessions:

Call #1: 10 November,  7 - 8:15pm ET

Call #2: 17 November,  7 - 8:15pm ET

Call #3: 24 November (Survivor Testimony) 7 - 8:15pm ET

Call #4: 1 December,  7 - 8:15pm ET

This mini course is funded by The Azrieli Foundation/La Fondation Azrieli.