How-To Implement

How to Implement this Project in YOUR Classroom!

It's all about the curriculum. Yes, of course the Holocaust documentary project is wonderful and even if that's all you were able to accomplish in your classroom, it would be a meaningful experience for your students. But, the reality is that the true power of the project as I see it is when it is coupled with a deep dive into the historical case studies and more importantly, the conversations around identity, stories, and responsibility. When all of these elements work in tandem, the message to the students is vivid and I believe that that is where you will find the best response.

Plan your course carefully. Figure out whether or not your school can afford to teach this in a year-long curriculum, just a semester or even an after-school Hebrew school program. That will then give you the ability to understand how much time should be devoted to each element. In the year course I taught approximately one-month was dedicated to pure project based work, with three-quarters of the year split between Early Zionism and the Holocaust. The remainder of the year we studied the creation of the Modern State of Israel. Additionally, you can break each of these into semester studies. The best advice I can give you is to outline the course ahead of time. Planning this caliber of a project needs you to be organized and stay focused on covering sufficient material before landing on this date.

Find your help.

The documentary filmmaker who came to teach us all about how to interview, videography and the Adobe program was an artist who worked a lot in schools. Your artist-in-residence can be from an organization or hired privately. Make sure you plan the project with him/her because they'll give you important tools and reminders for what to include. Additionally, make sure to book their dates and okay their budget well in advance of getting started.

Get to know the Facing History community near you.

The Scope and Sequence delineated by the Facing History Network is the cornerstone of this course. And that is because it is not just a historical study, but an application of how the history we learn affects our very being, changes us and causes us to be better people. That is the lens with which we want our students to engage in the coursework and project throughout the year. But to make this happen, you yourself need a sufficient knowledge base of what Facing History is all about. Start by reading through their information, take an online professional development course, but more importantly reach out to a program associate and make sure that you attend one of the workshops. My reiteration of how vital this is isn't about selling Facing History to you, but it's about using a pedagogical giant to transform your classroom. I mean it!

Reach out and find people in your community.

I am so thankful that our community has such rich resources for Holocaust survivors. It was easy to find several people who were able to get me the names and numbers of area survivors who would be willing to come and participate in our project. It's important in the phone calls you make that your potential interviewees are aware of the nature of the project. For those that speak elsewhere, it is a more intimate experience. You should tell them from the beginning that they will be taped and that footage will be used in student documentaries. I made sure to have my Survivors' committed to a single date early in the year. Remember, you don't want more than three students per survivor to maintain the personal nature of the interview. So make sure you have a sufficient number of volunteers! Also, don't forget about grandparents and great-grandparents who are eager to participate as well : )

Woo hoo! It's project time. Make sure that you have the appropriate technology access for your students (our filmmaker worked hard with us to provide access to the best). Provide ample work time for students and space in which each group can do their recordings, editing and conversations without disrupting other groups at work. Make sure to set up regular check-ins and see the progress of each documentary. More importantly, start planning the Opening Night. With all the hard work students are putting in, it is imperative that they have a respectable opening night program for their parents, teachers and community to see their work.

Reach out to me. While every project in every individual school will be unique, please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, concerns or even for a little brainstorming. I'm happy to provide some more insight on how I made it work and help you start your very own project. My e-mail is bolmanhistory@gmail.com and I'm happy to talk with you!