Annual Training Event for Croatian teachers

From 25 – 28 January 2015, Croatian teachers will take part in a training course on "Teaching and Learning about the Holocaust and the Prevention of Crimes against Humanity" in Varazdin. 

The course was supported by the Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Sport, Yad Vashem, the Croatian Education and Teacher Training Agency and the Memorial de la Shoah.

Since the adoption, in 2003, of the Decision on the commemoration of the Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust and the Prevention of Crimes against Humanity on 27 January, teaching about the holocaust in Croatia has undergone significant changes that have raised its importance in the national education system. The institutions responsible for the implementation of this Decision have began developing necessary teaching materials, and Education and Teacher Training Agency (a government institution responsible for in-service training of Croatian teachers) has started organising training events related to holocaust education for primary and secondary-school teachers, in cooperation with numerous national and international organisations.

Every year, academics from various international institutions dealing with holocaust education, national experts and experienced teachers share their rich experience, perspective and good practice examples with 50 teachers from all the Croatian regions, thus helping them integrate successfully into their daily work with children the knowledge, experience and attitudes gained in this 4-day training event.

The approach to teaching and learning about the Holocaust in Croatia is cross-curricular, thus enabling students to understand its complexity by searching for answers to ethical, moral, theological and social issues. To bring together different school subjects around this theme is to draw from the well of expertise of different subject areas, to approach the Holocaust from different perspectives, and rely upon the knowledge and ideas developed in the lessons of several school subjects. At the same time, this means sharing the heavy burden of teaching about the Holocaust, increasing the class time dedicated to this theme, and enriching the students’ understanding of the Holocaust. Through cross-curricular approach to teaching and learning, the Holocaust leaves the boundaries of History as academic discipline and becomes an integral part of general education.

The programme of the most recent event can be viewed here.