A powerful way of approaching genocide in the classroom is to ask essential questions and also establishing and referring back to learning objectives and outcomes. One question could be even be “Why learn about genocide?” As prospective teachers we feel as though it allows students to see that systems can create inequalities and also that genocides, which are events that are the result of government decisions, lack of assistance from other nations, and compliance of citizens, are avoidable.
Some essential questions that can be used:
1. How are genocide and other acts of mass violence humanly possible?
2. Who decides how laws or rules are applied? How can we ensure that laws and rules are applied to everyone in the same way?
3. What can we, as individuals, groups and nations, do to prevent massive acts of violence in the future?
4. What obstacles keep individuals from getting involved in their communities and larger world?
5. What is community? How are decisions made about who belongs and who is excluded?
6. How can individuals and societies remember and commemorate difficult histories? What is the purpose of remembering? What are the consequences of forgetting?
Some essential questions that can be used:
1. How are genocide and other acts of mass violence humanly possible?
2. Who decides how laws or rules are applied? How can we ensure that laws and rules are applied to everyone in the same way?
3. What can we, as individuals, groups and nations, do to prevent massive acts of violence in the future?
4. What obstacles keep individuals from getting involved in their communities and larger world?
5. What is community? How are decisions made about who belongs and who is excluded?
6. How can individuals and societies remember and commemorate difficult histories? What is the purpose of remembering? What are the consequences of forgetting?