Mission Statement
The Florida Holocaust Museum’s Education Department creates stimulating educational programs that engage learners through using highly developed materials on the Holocaust, Human Rights and Genocide studies. We strive to develop effective reading and communication skills to increase student achievement as well as to motivate critical thinking for visitors.
The Education Department of the Florida Holocaust Museum includes many different facets of educational programming and development.
As part of the Museum’s mission to educate all people to recognize the worth of human life as to prevent future genocides, we encourage teachers to integrate human rights violations and other genocides into their curriculum. Because human rights violations and genocides remain current events, students have the opportunity to actively engage in the subject matter. Please visit the link below to the website created by Wendy Drexler’s third grade class at Shorecrest Preparatory School in St. Petersburg, Florida. This is an excellent classroom activity that shows how these students truly are Upstanders. May their efforts provide inspiration and hope for the future to us all.
Kids Galore Helping Kids in Darfur |
Purpose
Summer Institute 2007-08 (PDF)
It is our purpose to provide meaningful materials for students and teachers that provide a framework for teaching the lessons of the Holocaust. These materials have been carefully and sensitively chosen to teach students how children their age, who were involved in this terrible time in history, were resourceful, responsible, and creative in order to survive. We have included literature that shows how others helped, the importance of immigration, and how students can take action in today’s world.
We know that teaching the Holocaust is a challenge of awesome proportions. The Holocaust must be brought into classrooms so students can learn to analyze the hatred and bigotry that can lead to genocide. Students are asked to make a lot of new choices and decisions. The materials provided will help them to see some of the possible effects of decisions they are making or that their peers are making.
Identified as A Center of Excellence by the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous.
A Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust by USF
The Florida Holocaust Museum had the privilege to have worked twice with Carl Wilkens during the Human Rights and Genocide Studies week of our annual Summer Institute for Teachers. Meeting Carl has been a life-changing experience for both the Summer Institute participants and for Museum staff. His powerful story has been a true source of inspiration. Carl led the Adventist Development and Relief Agency International (ADRA) in Rwanda and was the only American who decided to stay there during the 1994 genocide rather than be evacuated. He witnessed the atrocities firsthand and in the midst of the genocide tried to deliver help to fellow human beings in need. You can reach Carl through his blog at www.carlwilkens.blogspot.com. |
| We work collaboratively with other Museums, and organizations such as Yad Vashem, Jewish Foundation for the Righteous, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Association of Holocaust Organizations, University of South Florida, University of Tampa and Eckerd College. Presentations at State, National and International Conferences, as well as preparation for the March of the Living and March of Hope and Remembrance. |
