History educators work at the juncture of past and future, building the historical skills and knowledge that will equip young people to engage fully in the world they inherit. History teachers also work at the nexus of education, policy, and politics, a crossroads that has become increasingly challenging since 2020. At the same time, history education offers the promise of meeting the challenges of our times with informed historical practice and responsive pedagogies. By cultivating History’s Habits of Mind, teachers can support students’ understanding of the historical roots that shape their lives. Together, the content and skills taught in history classrooms prepare students to engage constructively with the challenges of the future.

The afternoon will begin with a guided tour the Maltz Museum’s permanent exhibit, Lessons of the Holocaust. This tour explores how a long history of antisemitism, economic turmoil, and the use of aggressive propaganda led the Nazi party, their collaborators, and everyday people to the state-sponsored annihilation of 6 million Jews and 5.7 million non-Jewish people. A large emphasis of this tour is learning from survivors by exploring different objects they left behind and donated to the museum. It prompts visitors to think of the “lessons” we can take away and apply to our lives today. After a brief break, attendees will then explore their special exhibit, Girl in the Diary: Searching for Rywka from the Lodz Ghetto. The day will end with an Interactive Biography of Stanley Bernath, a great tool for educators and students who are unable to visit a museum or institution.

Keynote sessions include: a talk from Heather Cox Richardson, from Boston College; Witness to History, with Erika Gold, a Holocaust Survivor; and Teaching Today, an educator panel.

Early registration ends November 1st!