Welcome back to another school year! We are so excited to work with you for a fresh new year of learning, and growth. We want to start with words of appreciation for the work that you do and the relationships that you forge with your students, so we created a found poem for you using the text from a strategy so many of you start your school the year with: contracting for courageous and reflective spaces.
Topics: Events
Dictionaries define the word “neighbour” solely based on close physical proximity; we feel close to someone because we live next door, or down the hall, or across the street. But what happens when a connection is needed from someone farther away?
Topics: Antisemitism, Choosing to Participate, Events, Facing History Resources, News, Identity, Facing History Together, Facing History and Ourselves, current events, We and They, Culturally Responsive and Relevant Pedagogy, Lesson Ideas, In the news
Valerie Simmons was born in London, England in 1921. She has been writing poetry since she was six years old. At the beginning of WWII she worked in a first aid post dealing with Blitz casualties. When the Battle of Britain ended she joined the Women’s Air Force (WAF) where she was an admin officer throughout England and in Egypt. After the war she earned a BA from London University and went on to get her teaching qualifications. She has taught and worked in libraries.
Topics: Art, Choosing to Participate, Events, Identity, Facing History and Ourselves, Canada, Memorial, current events, legacy, Remembrance Day, English Classroom, Personal history
During the month of October, Cineplex Entertainment has generously donated space to feature one of our latest PSA videos (See with Someone Else’s Eyes) as part of the Pre-Show in Cineplex theatres across Canada.
This is an incredible opportunity for people across the country to learn about Facing History and Ourselves. It also got us thinking about how these short videos can be used in our Facing History Classrooms. Find the PSAs below along with some discussion prompts and activities.
Topics: Film, Choosing to Participate, Events, Facing History Resources, Facing History and Ourselves, Canada
UPDATE (Feb 2015): Thank you to all those who joined our chat! While the Toronto #FHChat for Book of Negroes has ended, you can continue to be in conversation with us on how to bring this important novel and mini-series into your classroom on our blog.
Topics: Film, Events, "The Book of Negroes", Slavery, English Classroom
On October 26, Facing History and Ourselves Canada awarded Holocaust survivor, educator, and long-time board member Nate Leipciger with the inaugural Upstander Award in front of a room of 400 friends, family, and supporters.
Topics: Professional Development, Events, Facing History Resources, Facing History Together, Holocaust, Canada, Holocaust Education
On November 6, 2014 Facing History and Ourselves co-presented an evening with Professor Dr. James Waller, discussing the role of Nazi doctors in the persecution of gay men during the Holocaust.
Explore the culture, psychological, and social factors that drove Nazi policy against gay men and justified, in the minds of Nazi doctors, their perpetration of such atrocities.
Topics: Professional Development, Antisemitism, Events, Facing History Resources, History, Upstander, Waller, Genocide and Crimes Against Humanities Course
Welcome back to school! As you start to get settled into your courses and plan the weeks ahead, here are a few opportunities to get excited about if you are keen to bring more Facing History and Ourselves into your classrooms.
Topics: Back-To-School, Events, English Classroom
This semester Facing History students from across the greater Toronto area have been busy learning the ins and outs of digital storytelling - writing, editing, interviewing, and developing media skills in order to produce on social justice-oriented radio segments that will broadcast on Radio Regent. The youth-led audio documentaries will explore critical topics such as identity, bystander behaviour, religion, upstanders in history and today, and standing up for others.
Topics: Art, Events, EdTech, Innovative Classrooms, Media Skills, Technology, Radiozilla
Here at Facing History and Ourselves, we are always reading! As the 8th Commandment of teaching Genocide says "Thou shalt read in order to understand how much more you need to read." As you readjust to being back from March Break feeling wonderfully refreshed, or are restlessly waiting for spring to arrive, and looking for something to pick up for a good read, here are some options, from us to you!
Topics: Books, Professional Development, Events, History, current events, We and They, genocide, In the news