Brave Classrooms: Taking on Antisemitism in Schools

This online mini-course is presented as part of the Brave Classrooms Mini-Course Series, giving educators the tools to discuss contemporary antisemitism in their middle and high school classroom settings. This mini-course includes both self-guided work and live Zoom sessions. View the full schedule below.

Schools, students, and teachers are increasingly reporting acts of physical and verbal violence connected to antisemitism. This hatred is not new and has a long and “convenient” history. How can we prepare students to recognize and confront this hateful ideology? As educators, how can we ensure that our classrooms are safe for those students threatened by antisemitism at school—and that we don’t inadvertently tolerate, perpetuate or exacerbate this harm?

For over two thousand years, Jews and Jewish communities have been stereotyped and discriminated against, exiled, and violently attacked based on a wide range of false and dangerous accusations. This mini-course will look at the history and evolution of this hateful ideology and present steps to help students stand up against this form of hatred and bigotry.

During this mini-course, we will:

• Explore how social divisions create “the other” 
• Explore the ancient and contemporary stereotypes of Jews 
• Explore different methods of combating contemporary antisemitism in schools

Mini-Course Schedule

• Module 1:
  • Self-Guided Work (approx. 90 minutes): November 7–14
  • Live Session in Zoom (90 minutes): November 14, 7–8:30 p.m. ET (see in your time zone)
• Module 2:
  • Self-Guided Work (approx. 90 minutes): November 14–21
  • Live Session in Zoom (90 minutes): November 21, 7–8:30 p.m. ET (see in your time zone)
• Thanksgiving Break/Enrichment Week: November 21–28 (no live session)
• Module 3:
  • Self-Guided Work (approx. 90 minutes): November 28–December 5
  • Live Session in Zoom (90 minutes): December 5, 7–8:30 p.m. ET (see in your time zone)
• Module 4:
  • Self-Guided Work (approx. 90 minutes): December 5–December 12
  • Live Session in Zoom (90 minutes): December 12, 7–8:30 p.m. ET (see in your time zone)

Mini-Course At-a-Glance Details

Who should take this mini-course: 6th–12th grade world history, US history, humanities, and English language arts and advisory teachers, school leaders, and curriculum specialists. We invite educators from a variety of K–12 school settings including public, private, independent, and religious schools to apply. Please note that this mini-course is not open to Higher Ed. professionals.

Cost: There is a non-refundable $25 registration fee due once your application has been accepted. The event fee for this mini-course has been waived thanks to generous funding from Facing History & Ourselves donors and partner organizations.

Duration: Four modules over five weeks. There is a new module each week with the exception of Thanksgiving week. Each module includes online self-guided work and a weekly synchronous session in Zoom.

Time commitment: Approximately between 2–3 hours each week for 4 weeks.

Pacing: 

Each week’s module will follow a similar structure: 

• Approximately 90-minutes of online self-guided work to complete in preparation for each week’s live session .
• A 90-minute facilitated live session to include whole- and small-group activities.
• Optional extension activities to be completed anytime during the week. 

Questions? Reach out to support [at] facinghistory.org (support[at]facinghistory[dot]org).