Visual Art

In this unit, students will be introduced to concepts of narrative art and its purposes and ability to convey memories and deeper learning through diverse mediums and approaches. Through the concept of narrative art and specifically studying graphic novels, students will be learning, through testimony, the stories of those who survived the Holocaust. This unit aims to bridge cross-curricular connections with fine arts and social studies in learning more deeply about the Holocaust and the tragedies but also resiliency of the survivors and their legacies.

Guiding Questions

• How does narrative art allow us to inhabit different perspectives?
• Why is it important to learn through testimony and storytelling when learning about the Holocaust?
• How does learning through art (namely graphic narratives) help us better understand what we are learning about?
• What is the impact of learning history from narrative art?
• How does resiliency help us move forward from traumatic experiences?

Leading with a Trauma-Informed Lens in the Classroom

When teaching subjects that carry significant trauma, such as the Holocaust and other accounts of genocide, it is crucial that teachers are prepared and equipped with tools to teach through a trauma-informed lens. This not only helps establish an appropriate space for learning, but also centres students, allowing educators to be proactive in responding to the emotional and somatic needs of their classroom.

In this unit, one of the foundational teachings is resiliency. Resiliency is key in teaching through a trauma-informed lens (Levine & Kline, 2012) because it views survivors not only as victims, thereby allowing survivors their full range of humanity.  Because the content of these lessons focuses on testimony of Holocaust survivors and how these are translated through graphic novel, it is important to circle back to how each of these survivors showed tremendous resiliency through their experiences (this will be outlined in the lessons too). Without this understanding, the unit and teaching are not complete.

Establishing a brave and safe space for students is important in taking a trauma-informed approach to teaching. At the beginning of each lesson, remind students to check in with themselves. These check-ins do not have to be formal or shared with the entire class, and no student should ever be singled out or put on the spot. In using the traffic light method (see But I Live… presentation slides on trauma-informed teaching) students are reminded that they have agency in their learning experiences. Should they need to take a break from challenging content, they are welcome to. Teachers should reiterate that they are there for students to speak with should they need any help, guidance, or support.

Creating a Safe and Brave Space

(sourced from NASPA Resources)

Talk about what a safe space is:

• a place where students can come and feel safe in their learning journeys
• where there is no judgment
• where support is provided

Talk about what a brave space is:

• a place where students come to engage in dialogue, understanding and recognizing differences and holding one another accountable
• where students can share experiences and come to new understandings

After discussing each kind of space, have students create a brave or safe space agreement.

Examples of what a safe space agreement might include:

• not interrupting when someone is talking
• respecting all students and their experiences
• seeking to understand each other
• using respectful body language (not sleeping on desks, raising hands to talk, no phone use)

Examples of what a brave space agreement might include:

• listen to understand before responding
• one person talks at a time
• no devil’s advocates—this kind of conversation is neither helpful nor productive and can cause harm to people whose identities and lived experiences are devalued and dehumanized
• use mindfulness when engaging with people’s experiences
• have regular check-ins
• unpack tension by having candid conversations

Creating a brave or safe space agreement as a class can help to establish this space. Students are given agency to craft the space, and are held accountable for how the space is maintained. Students may be hesitant at first, so the teacher should be ready to facilitate actively.