HMDT Approach to Education
HMD 2010 marks the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz- Birkenau. On this day, we challenge everyone to become part of The Legacy of Hope. You can help us make this possible.
HMD provides an opportunity to encourage young people to listen to the voices from the Holocaust, Nazi persecution and subsequent genocides. As well as taking from them lessons of hope for a safer and more inclusive future, we hope that by engaging with HMD your students will be inspired to make a different in their own communities as well as engaging with and remembering the past.
HMDT aims to make it as easy as possible to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day in your educational establishment.
In conjunction with partner organisations, we have provided you with a wide selection of educational material for all ages, across all subjects and in all stages of their education. Whether you choose to spend an hour or a whole day commemorating HMD, our education web site makes it as easy as possible to find appropriate material for your classroom.
Although we know it is not always possible, we encourage you to take young people off timetable on 27th January and allow them to approach HMD through a wide variety of activities.
Some students may appreciate periods of quieter reflection; some may want to debate and discuss how they can become part of The Legacy of Hope in their own community. HMD is also an ideal opportunity for students to join in events in their local community so they can share The Legacy of Hope with different generations.
It is up to you, there is no right or wrong way to mark HMD.
Genocide is not a comfortable subject to tackle but it is essential. We are not asking you to imagine what life was like under the Nazi regime or during the genocide in Rwanda – only survivors can do that. We are asking you to look at what happened, to listen to the voices from that period and apply those lessons to our lives today.
HMD is a poignant reminder of what can happen when hatred is left unchecked.
HMD 2010 is a chance to focus on positive action by reflecting on how the survivors rebuilt their lives and lived to bear witness to the past.
We urge you to encourage your students to reflect upon their testimony and the words of Human Rights campaigner Hugo Slim: “We need to listen, for a change.”
We believe that HMD is appropriate for all age groups and across all subject areas. On this site you will find lesson plans for Citizenship/PSE, Humanities ,English, ICT, R.E, Music and Drama, Maths, Science and Design and Technology as well as assemblies . We know how precious your time is – so we’ve tried to make it as easy as possible to navigate our site. You can search by case study studies, by age range or by subject area. Why not tell your colleagues about our resources and with them, you can hold a cross-curricular day to mark HMD?
For primary teachers, resources have been produced to engage younger students with the key messages of HMD in an appropriate way. Please do contact us if you would like further advice on how to use the website.
Tips for Commemorating HMD in schools
Keep it appropriate. Be aware of the ages of the students participating. Using HMD resources will assist this.
Stay on message. HMD is not an opportunity to learn everything about the Holocaust – it’s a way in and supplies us with lessons to apply to our Communities today. If you do wish to cover more general Holocaust issues, we recommend that you contact the Holocaust Educational Trust , The Holocaust Centre or the Imperial War Museum .
Never use images for shock value. While the Holocaust, Nazi persecution and genocide are shocking and there is a wealth of photographic and video evidence of the atrocities committed it is important to remember that you must never dehumanise the victims. Images of corpses and open graves in particular should be avoided. If you feel that a particular image, while shocking, adds to the impact of your event issue a brief warning before using it.
Preparation. Plan ahead and ensure you check our resources are appropriate.
Forward Looking. HMD isn’t just learning about history. It’s learning from history. We need to ensure that we all have a positive action that we can take forward after HMD.
Your next steps…
Explore our education website. Read and Download our case studies, assemblies and lesson plans.
Visit the main HMD site. Read survivor testimony. Download our podcasts. View our image library and discover suitable readings for assemblies.
Request our campaign pack . This provides you with details about HMD and display materials suitable for your classroom. All resources provided by HMDT are free of charge.
Tell us what you plan to do for HMD 2010.
We want to hear from you now. You can contact the HMD office on 0845 838 1883 or via email at enquiries@hmd.org.uk. Members of the HMDT Team are also always happy to assist you with any queries you may have about HMD.
The Legacy of Hope begins with you.
We understand how precious your time is, and we want to thank you for commemorating HMD in your school.