Teaching the Holocaust to Middle School Students REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE The purpose

The purpose of this project is the compilation of a handbook, with materials, designed to teach the Holocaust to Middle School students. To this end, this chapter of the project presents a review of the relevant literature. This review is presented in two parts: (1) research relevant to the project; and (2) research relevant to the learner. The discussion of these two areas of the research is preceded by a brief delineation of the history of Holocaust instruction and an examination of the reasons why it is important to study the Holocaust.

History of Instructional Efforts and Holocaust Curriculum

The Holocaust, as the term is commonly used, refers to the systematic genocide committed by the Nazis against the Jewish people during World War II (Holzman, 1983). According to Borth (19 ), middle-level and high school curriculum seldom focuses on this subject. Indeed, he states that most texts contain no more than one paragraph on the subject. Borth reports that it was not until 1977 that the first course on the Holocaust was even introduced in the educational system.

Currently, only one percent of most secondary schools utilize Holocaust-related curricula. Borth calls for an expansion of Holocaust curricula within the educational system, noting that as human beings we have an obligation to teach the Holocaust as part of the effort to make sure that nothing like it ever happens again.

Before any discussion of holocaust instructio

e to authority, genocidal theories, and pseudo-scientific racism. As with other courses related to holocaust study, the course designed by Adams focuses on gearing subject matter toward the provision of answers to students' most frequently asked questions. Also, students are asked specific questions which have been designed in an effort to promote a better understanding of how genocide in general and the holocaust in particular impacts on them personally; e.g. "Even though the Jewish East European culture described is very different from your own, can you identify any thoughts or feelings you might share with it?" Depending on the amount of time allotted to holocaust studies, a number of different aspects can be discussed. The B'nai B'rith Anti-Defamation League (1973) designed a program of study for the short time-frame course. This course is expressly designed to provide the minimum information students need in order to attain an understanding of the meaning of the Holocaust. The delineated information in the short course consists of the following topics: unification of German states into one nation under Otto Von Bismark; Prussian militarism; the economic and social collapse of Germany following defeat in World War I;

Category: Psychology - T