A group of fifth and sixth graders from a public school in a poor, minority-dominated area of the Bronx is going to the remains of the Dachau concentration camp in Germany.
I personally side with some of the teachers in the article who think this is a little early to learn about the Holocaust on site. Nearly everyone quoted says that they are afraid of the the kids' reactions will be, with just reason. Most of the buildings are still standing, and it is no place for kids unless there is a very good reason to be there, such as ancestral history. This seems like a very bad choice by the teachers, but it will certainly be a memorable experience for the students.
I'm not sure I would call it a very bad choice by the teachers. Yes, it is a very emotionally touch subject to handle, but it is an opportunity that most people will never receive in their life. Also there was no age limit to the actual Holocaust; kids their age had to go through it all, no matter how scary they thought it was. If it was my child, I might agree and want them to wait a couple years so they can appreciate it even more. But, they have to face it eventually, along with the rest of the world and here is the chance to do it.
ReplyDeleteI think that it should never be called a bad decision to learn history. These things happened, and they happened to kids at the age and younger than the students in that class. People shouldn't be left in the dark not knowing about this, it shouldn't ever be a bad thing to experience history.
ReplyDeleteEven though it may seem like a very early age, I think that the younger and more often children hear about the Holocaust, the more they will take it seriously. Children their age wen through this horrible experience and therefore I don't think that there is an age limit on the subject. I was very young when i learned about the Holocaust from my family and grandparents and even Sunday school. I think it has helped me understand how important it was.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it is important to be exposed to things like the Holocaust at a young age, it seems like we tend to really understand the gravity of the situation when we are a little older. Having the kids learn about the Holocaust is not a bad choice, it gives them a chance to learn a little and is a step towards a greater understanding.
ReplyDeleteI think tha it is better for the kids to face the history of the holocaust head-on, rather than run away trying to avoid it. Often, the darker history is shunted to the side by people who would rather not face it, and it slowly disappears. even today there are people who deny the holocaust ever happened. Children younger than 5th and 6th grade had to actually face those terrors. It would be a difficult thing for the students to face, but I think they would benefit from the experience.
ReplyDeleteSam how can you say that it is bad for these kids? Your making many really big generalizations about these kids. How do you know that they aren't ready (or mature enough)?
ReplyDeleteEven though I do agree that it is important to learn about the holocaust, I do think that these kids may be a bit young. When you are that young, you are just discovering the cruel things that happened in the past and you are developing a fear of the "real world." This fear can often traumatize kids because they fear the same things can happen in the future. That is why I believe is important to think about what you are telling and showing young children. Even though it is important to tell them what happened, it is also important not to overwhelm them, which a trip like this could do.
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