Letter to Parents

Joanna Meyer

12th Grade Honors Language Arts

Barnaby High School

Dear Parent/Guardian,

My name is Joanna Meyer and I am your child's 12th Grade Honors Language Arts teacher.  We are beginning a unit on the Holocaust in class, and there are a few things that I would like to discuss with you before the unit starts.

The Holocaust was a tragic, cold example of what man is capable of inflicting on his fellow man.  It must be studied in schools so that future generations can be armed with the knowledge of what society is capable of, and the reasons and ways to avoid this.  As the famed plaque that now guards the gates at the infamous Dachau prison camp states "Never again."  A statue at the Auschwitz prison camp reads "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. --George Santayana"

Surprisingly, the question we will be addressing in class is this: " How Can We Write about the Holocaust in a Meaningful, Academic Way While Minimizing Emotion?"  

This begs the question:  "WHY would we ever want to teach our students to view the Holocaust with a lack of emotion? That is evil and disrespectful."

Many would agree.  I certainly would, at first.  The context is this:  Your students have been taught about the Holocaust since 8th grade, and now, in many ways, fully grasp the horror and inconceivability of the tragedy.  Now, as a challenge, I am having students attempt to write textbook chapters about different aspects of the Holocaust that must be strictly factual while neglecting to include any emotion or opinion.  Just the facts.  As author of the scholarly article "The Coverage of the Holocaust in High School History Textbooks" explains, "Textbooks should provide students with a definition that enables students to respond accurately and knowledgeably to the question, 'What was the Holocaust?'"

This is a very real task that many writers who are employed in technical and formal writing professions must master, and especially those who go into journalism.  They are often asked to write articles and chapters in history books that depict horrific events, all the while maintaining a detached, cool tone.

We will be working on these chapters via a "Writing Workshop" approach.  Through a combination of different scholarly opinions, I have devised our class writing workshop to seperate students into groups of five.  From here, they will work individually on their drafts.  One student might write a chapter detailing the types of people sent to the concentration camps, while another student might be detailing the methods of execution.

Of, course, due to the sensitive nature of these topics, your student's chapter choice will be sent home for your approval before they begin research.  After they brainstorm their first ideas, they will begin meeting with their peer groups, editing each other's later drafts as they work towards completion.

This project will address several "Common Core" standards, among those being:

Production and Distribution of Writing:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.5
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.6
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.

--Common Core Website

Please do not hesitate to contact me at my email with any questions or comments: jrmeyer@barnabyhs.k12.edu

Thank you for your time,
Joanna Meyer