Abstract
Duffy and Cowan investigate the interdisciplinary learning teaching approach in teaching the Holocaust to Primary 7 pupils (aged 10–11 years). In this study, focus is placed on integrating history, poetry, art and music over a period of eight weeks. In doing, so the authors provide new insight into classroom teaching approaches adopted in teaching the Holocaust in the primary teaching context. This chapter demonstrates the importance of teacher preparation prior to teaching the Holocaust in terms of classroom ethos and identifies several features of good practice. It concludes that interdisciplinary learning is an effective means of engaging primary pupils in their first encounters with the Holocaust and in developing their historical knowledge and critical thinking.
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Notes
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Robinson, The Arts in Schools, p. 27
- 32.
Supple, ‘Issues’, p. 19.
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This term, as part of Social Studies, Primary 7b will be exploring and researching World War II. We will be learning about the cause of war, the rise of the Nazi party and Adolf Hitler, the Home Front, and aspects of the Holocaust. Our novel study will be ‘Hana’s Suitcase’, a factual account of a school in Tokyo researching the life of a young girl who was taken to Theresienstadt, a concentration camp located in what is now the Czech Republic.
Within this camp there were many talented musicians, writers and artists. We will be exploring some of their works and stories in line with Hana’s. The topic will allow children to make comparisons to life in the world today, as well as cover aspects of expressive arts, religious education, literature and citizenship education.
Following a discussion with the class last week, it is clear that the children are looking forward to learning about the events of World War II. However, I am aware that learning about aspects of this period in history can be rather sensitive and upsetting. We will be researching Theresienstadt and the people within it, as well as looking at the moral issues surrounding Hitler’s ‘Final Solution’.
Naturally, some children are very inquisitive about World War II and will want to carry out personal research at home. Researching events of the Holocaust online may expose children to upsetting and distressing images that I would not choose to show in the classroom. Therefore, I would appreciate it if you could monitor your child’s personal research to avoid exposure to such images.
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Duffy, G., Cowan, P. (2018). Poetry, Charcoal and a Requiem: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Teaching the Holocaust to Primary Students. In: Szejnmann, CC., Cowan, P., Griffiths, J. (eds) Holocaust Education in Primary Schools in the Twenty-First Century. The Holocaust and its Contexts. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73099-8_4
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