Social Emotional Considerations to Support Students

Teaching and learning about the Holocaust and other Genocides can bring up a range of emotions in both students and educators. The following considerations are offered when engaging in these conversations in order to build a safe and supportive space during class lessons and discussions on this topic:

• Establish norms regarding respectful discussions, including active listening, turn taking, and ensuring respectful verbal and nonverbal reactions when peers are sharing.
• Acknowledge and validate that students may have emotional reactions and/or experience feelings of discomfort during conversations, and that individuals may respond differently when processing new information about this topic; for example, some students may need additional time to process information and reflect before sharing their perspectives and engaging in discussions on this topic.
• Communicate to students that everyone, including teachers and administrators, are learners about these topics; model intellectual humility and curiosity.
• Discuss with students the importance of assuming positive intent in students’ comments, while also being clear about what respectful language looks and sounds like; hold space to address harm if comments are hurtful/offensive to some students, especially when identity is involved.
• Focus on cultivating empathy for a range of perspectives and experiences, including those shaped by antisemitism and other forms of identity-based hate or historical trauma.
• Ground conversations in reliable and credible information sources, encouraging students to become aware of organizations and resources that are considered to have expert knowledge of the topic area; support students in learning how to evaluate information for credibility and recognize misinformation.
• Ensure that discussions are closed with next steps for learning and supportive actions, offering opportunities for individual and collective reflection; encourage students to consider how they can contribute to building inclusive communities.
• Recognize the emotional impact that teaching about this topic may have on educators and demonstrate understanding and empathy for yourself as a teacher, allowing time and space to process and reflect. 

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