Chapter 3: How We Teach Holocaust Education

Holocaust education is and should be included within many types of curricula. As we provide Holocaust education, we are reminded that effective Holocaust education follows simple principles. We define terms, linking the Holocaust to historical and intentional antisemitism. Teaching the historical context of the Holocaust helps convey the fact that Nazi persecution was intended but not inevitable. Effective use of human experiences, like using survival narratives, effectively promotes empathy, connecting statistics to real lives, countering the vast and horrific dehumanization that was perpetrated through both words and actions. We educate through critical thinking and inquiry-based learning, using primary sources and making the Holocaust relevant to other and modern concerns (ADL, USC Shoah Foundation, & Yad Vashem, 2014).