Summary of Methodological Considerations

1. Define what you mean by 'Holocaust'.
2. Strive for precision of language.
3. Avoid simple answers to complex questions.
4. Contextualise the events of the Holocaust in local and world history.
5. Just because it happened does not mean that it was inevitable.
6. Do not romanticise history to engage students' interest.
7. Try to avoid stereotypical descriptions of any of the major players or groups.
8. Translate statistics into people (with faces wherever possible).
9. Avoid comparisons of pain and suffering.
10. Be sensitive to graphic, audio and written content in terms of your students' age and development.
11. Select content- and student-appropriate learning activities.
12. Make careful distinctions about sources of information.
13. Strive for balance in presenting perspectives on the events.

(For details of these summary points, visit http://www.ushmm.org/education/guidelines.html Holocaust Teaching Guidelines from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.)