Date of Award

12-2024

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

English

First Advisor

Jonathan Bush, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Cheryl Almeda, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Meghann Meeusen, Ph.D.

Keywords

Children's literature, difficult histories, English language arts, Holocaust, instructional strategies, teacher identity

Abstract

This qualitative narrative case study was designed to examine the pedagogical choices of four English Language Arts teachers who teach the Holocaust. This study shares the “picture” of the four English language arts teachers from Michigan, Indiana, and Florida. Data collected through interviews and curricular documents were analyzed in connection to each of the teacher’s identities and rationales for teaching the Holocaust. This study highlights each teacher’s process of becoming a Holocaust teacher and describes how each teaches the content of the Holocaust in grades fifth to tenth. It uncovers the common dispositions of these four teachers. It shares the recommendations they shared for ELA teachers who are called or required to teach the Holocaust. This study identified a pattern of successful best practice strategies for teaching the Holocaust. These teachers were challenged to reflect on how they could add specific Holocaust picture books into their unit plans.

Teachers across the United States are called and/or mandated to teach genocide, the Holocaust and other “difficult” histories. These instructional expectations often fall on the English Language Arts teacher rather than/or in addition to the history teacher. This study adds to existing research on Holocaust pedagogy, English Language Arts instruction, and the use of picture books in the secondary classrooms. In addition, it adds to previous research that centers the focus of instructional choices on the impact of teachers’ values, beliefs, and background experience. It informs both teachers in the classroom and teacher educators in their practices of teaching the Holocaust and other “difficult” histories in English Language Arts classrooms.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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