Facing History and Ourselves
(Facing History and Ourselves)
Facing History and Ourselves strives to promote dialogue in the classroom
and beyond, encouraging young people to think critically about issues that
unite and divide society. For 32 years it has offered teachers and students
ways to confront prejudice, apathy, fear and violence. By teaching students
to think critically, empathize, recognize moral choices and make their voices
heard, it puts in their hands the possibility—and the responsibility—to do the
serious work demanded of us all as citizens.
Focusing on examples of collective violence, Facing History provides teachers
with the tools and support necessary to connect the lessons of history to the
challenges of an increasingly interconnected world. Facing History engages
students in the classroom, fosters learning and dialogue among teachers,
students and communities around the world and invigorates teachers’
commitment to teaching. Its mission is to engage teachers and students of
diverse backgrounds in an examination of racism, prejudice and anti-Semitism
in order to promote the development of a more humane and informed citizenry.
In Illinois, Facing History is working in partnership with the Chicago Public
Schools. The Choices In Little Rock CPS/ Facing History and Ourselves
Initiative uses the Facing History resource guide, Choices in Little Rock.
The guide teaches civics and history through an examination of the 1957
integration of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. While eighth-grade
students are examining this particular historical period, they are encouraged
to make connections between the choices people their age faced in the past
and the choices they face in their own lives today. After looking at their own
identities and examining the past, students reflect on how they can be active
participants in our democracy. As ninth-graders, students will study Holocaust
and Human Behavior in world history, carrying over a common language
around Facing History themes.
Click to view Exemplar 4 >>