Ourselves facing history...and what happens when we do.

I was lucky enough to attend a Facing History and Ourselves event recently and although I wanted to attend to see Dave Eggers speak, by the end of the event the mission of this organization and the passion with which its members speak is what really inspired me. I come from a family that was and is comprised of multiple generations of teachers so Facing History and Ourselves really spoke to me. If you haven't heard of them you have to check it out. The work they have and are continuing to do is awe-inspiring and often jaw-dropping.

For example, at the event they spoke about bring a curriculum to both Ireland and Northern Ireland that addressed the historical information of both Catholics and Protestants in the country. It blew my mind, and maybe I am naive, that they weren't already teaching accurate historical accounts to the children and students attending the Ireland's schools. In this case, they are addressing intolerance where it begins, perhaps even before it begins. They are actively trying to change the way youth of an entire country feel about each other. To me, that was amazing.

If this sounds interesting to you at all you should check them out at:

http://www.facinghistory.org/

Here is their mission, just to give you a better idea.

Facing History and Ourselves delivers classroom strategies, resources and lessons that inspire young people to take responsibility for their world. Internationally recognized for our quality and effectiveness, Facing History harnesses the power of the Internet and partners with school systems, universities and ministries of education worldwide.

Each year we reach more than 1.9 million students through our global network of more than 28,000 trained educators, staff, adjunct faculty and international fellows facilitate hundreds of seminars and workshops annually, and we reach the public through community events and extensive online resources. In 2008, the Facing History and Ourselves website received more than 700,000 visits from people in 215 countries.

At the heart of our work is the resource book Facing History and Ourselves: Holocaust and Human Behavior, which explores the consequences of hatred. Students all over the world learn to recognize bigotry and indifference. They also meet exemplars of courage and compassion in the face of injustice and see that their own daily choices can have major impacts and perhaps even be a critical link to a safer future.

Facing History's work is based on the premise that we need to — and can— teach civic responsibility, tolerance, and social action to young people, as a way of fostering moral adulthood. If we do not educate students for dignity and equity, then we have failed both them and ourselves.

We believe that students are moral philosophers who are able and willing to think about tough moral and ethical dilemmas in surprisingly sophisticated ways. Our materials and our approach help students with a wide range of abilities and learning styles understand that their choices and actions matter, and that young people can, and should, be agents of change. We provide teachers with the tools they need to educate students so that they can act on their knowledge.