This morning, students in Mme Crouchman’s 6/7 split were treated to a Faraway Tuesday adventure. They were fortunate enough to connect with Chrissy Gregg, Museum Educator at the National WWII Museum located in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Having just finished reading “Number the Stars” by Lois Lowry with Mme Cundari, they had many questions surrounding the Holocaust. What better way to answer such questions than by virtually connecting with an incredibly knowledgeable, kind and considerate expert!

Gregg began with a quote from Pastor Martin Niemöller, 1945…

Students collaboratively reflected on what it represented, unearthing its “true” meaning. This provided the class with opportunities to better understand the meaning behind personal and collective responsibility in relation to WWII.

Analyzing responsibility in the Holocaust was anything but easy. Students quickly made note of the complexities and challenges faced by all parties concerned. When asked to justify why they felt that certain people were more and/or less responsible, they began to appreciate the time and reflection needed when making significant decisions, most notably on a global scale!

Gregg shared powerful photos from the Museum’s collection, allowing students to speak their minds and share their thoughts and feelings. This continued through a lengthy question-and-answer period.

Mme Crouchman’s students posed numerous questions and were grateful for the time and effort spent on each and every one. They left with a much better understanding and appreciation of world issues from the late thirties to mid-forties. They were also reminded of just how fortunate they are to live in a country as peaceful as Canada.