Teaching Young Children about the Holocaust

According to Dagan (1993) even in the most tragic social reality there are positive aspects from which a child could learn. For example: teaching values such as respect, tolerance, sensitivity and responsibility and themes such as heroism. In the children's early encounters with the Holocaust, presentation and discussion of the horror of the events should be avoided. It is advisable to exclude the subject of death or killing. The teacher should take into account the children's emotional state and give only as much information as is necessary.

Dutch Jewish school children wearing their yellow stars

1. Themes and Values to be stressed
· Respecting and tolerating differences
· Being sensitive to the happiness and well being of others
· Respecting the dignity and rights of every human being
· Valuing all forms of life: all life is important, has worth, deserves dignity and must be respected
· Realising that one is an individual and taking responsibility for one's own actions
· Being a responsible citizen and friend of the world
· Being a co-operative, contributing member of one's family and one's class
· Understanding that human beings have the potential for both good and evil.

2. General Teaching Points
· Listen carefully.
· Observe the child's behaviour and emotional state and respond accordingly.
· Do not 'impose' a certain mood upon the children, i.e.: Don't say: "No laughing allowed today." Let them respond and express themselves naturally. (Nevertheless, deal with 'inappropriate' responses accordingly.)
· Give clear answers.
· Don't volunteer information.
· Take a step-by-step approach, according to the children's developmental level.
· The topic should be dealt with more than once.
· A selective approach to content is necessary.
· Do not concentrate on horrible topics that may cause disgust and alienation.
· Increase the knowledge of historical events gradually.
· Parents can be called upon to widen the support system to protect the child against over-reaction.
· A systematic study of the topic from different perspectives at an older age should be applied.

3. Some Starting Points could include:
Listening to a sad piece of music, showing a picture expressing sadness, introducing a sad personal experience, lighting memorial candles and/or observing two minutes silence where all activity stops.

4. Selection of Source Materials
· Materials should reflect historical reality and accuracy. Fiction should depict the truth of that time.
· Materials should promote empathy and sensitivity to the pain of others.
· Materials should personalise and humanise statistics and foster involvement and identification with victims and survivors.
· The truth should be presented without traumatising the children.
· Materials should be technically appropriate: they should be relatively easy to read/view and discuss; they should connect logically to the historical aspects that the teacher has chosen to cover; they should promote and inspire active learning experiences for the students, such as focused listening, responsive writing, co-operative learning and discussion; they should promote opportunities to discuss universal themes, especially for older children.

Email: Resource.Centre@bje.nsw.edu.au for a bibliography of materials suitable for young children.