Introduction

In the Facing History course one of the first things we get asked who are you? You never really think about this question until you get asked, but by the end of the course you kind of start to get an idea of whom you are. In this course we learned about the Holocaust in detail we watched several deep films and saw pictures related to it. I chose to take this class because I had heard nothing but good things about it, and I was told to definitely take it, and I’m glad I did. I definitely recommend this course because I learned things and saw things about the Holocaust that I had absolutely no idea about. The films and pictures can be really hard to watch and look at but I think its something everyone should see, and see exactly what those people went through.  We also talked about bullying and standing up against it, which I thought was really interesting. I also liked that we could share our own thoughts without being judged and we were able to give our opinions. Me being in peer mediation I really liked that we had a chance to talk about bullying because I deal with cases all the time about cyber bullying. I am glad I had the opportunity to take this class it touched me very deeply and if you have the opportunity to take it I definitely would, it will definitely make a difference on how you feel towards certain situations, such as bullying and racial slurs.

Essay

I really enjoyed taking the Facing History course it was really touching and benefited me as a student and as a person in many ways. It was something I’m glad I got to see because I learned so many things about the Holocaust that I had absolutely no idea about, and I think its something everyone should see for themselves.

In one of the classes we talked about bullying and knowing when to stop it and say something. This week I actually witnessed someone call a girl on my cheerleading team “chubby” on Facebook and laugh about it and everyone else started commenting on the picture being mean to the girl who called the girl on my team chubby. I thought it was wrong that she called her chubby but I also thought it was wrong that everyone was bashing the girl who said it and I couldn’t let it go. I commented on the picture myself saying what she said wasn’t right but by them bashing the girl who said they’re also being bullies and after that nothing else was said. I think I did a good thing because in the end I stuck up for my teammate and I stopped them from yelling at the other girl who said it in the first place. I think this course helped me make the decision to say something because before taking this course I honestly probably wouldn’t have said anything at all and just let them all argue, as wrong as I know that is.

One thing I enjoyed about the class is that its not a typical class, we didn’t get lectured and have to take notes which I think made it easier to understand everything that was going on in depth without having to worry about writing stuff down at the same time. Although I wish it was a full year course so that we could learn about other things such as skin heads and watch movies like American History X, maybe even Hotel Rwanda so we could get an idea of other things going on besides the Holocaust but are just as important, but difficult to watch and deal with.

I’m also glad I had the opportunity to see the films you showed it class because I got a better idea of what was going on even though I know it was nothing compared to what actually happened, but it gave me a good idea. I also liked that we got a chance to see actually pictures and footage of the camps, it was really hard to see and watch but in the end it made a huge impact. This course taught me that it’s not right to use racial slurs and you never know when it could actually really be upsetting someone. I started to watch The Boy in the Striped Pajamas in class and I really enjoyed it but I never got to finish it because I was absent, but it’s definitely a movie I would like to finish watching because I like that you get the perspective of a German and a Jew at the same time. I really liked watching The Grey Zone I think it gave a really good idea of what happened such as the gas chambers, how people were tortured and put to work.

I could never imagine going through what all those people went through, just the thought of it scares me and I hope something like the Holocaust never happens again. It’s crazy how one person took over a whole country and how so many people listened to him and did what they were told because it was “right”. I think its ridiculous how so many people got away with these horrific murders and were okay doing it. I would feel so much guilt and I wouldn’t be able to live with my self, but I think that if your told to do something and you know that if you don’t you could get killed you’d be in the same position to kill as horrendous as that sounds. I just don’t understand how someone could be so cruel to wipe out a whole race because they didn’t believe they were normal. I thought it was interesting how in the movie Uprising the Jews from the ghetto actually rebelled and fought for their lives and some actually survived. That must have taken a lot of courage; they built a whole underground system and had people helping them get riffles and other things they needed in order to fight back. I think its amazing how they were able to get away with it for so long and that one group of people decided to do this because they thought it was the only way they would stop. I didn’t know that the United States was the one who put a stop to all of the murders, and I think its amazing how there’s people who still haven’t left Germany because they don’t want another tragedy such as this to happen again. Once again I am very glad that Westborough High School offers this close and I think everyone should have to take it before graduating and other schools should have it as well because it’s a course that sticks to you and lets you think about other people but your self, and that theirs such tragedies as this one going on all over the world. In this course you learn that the smallest thing can make a huge difference, one person can stop someone from being bullied, one person can take over a whole country, and take many lives. I’d like to thank you for sharing your pictures and films with the class I know it touched us all very deeply and meant a lot to all of us, especially me. I know walk away from this class with a better understanding of what happened and most of all I am able to understand a little better who I am. 

Works Cited

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Google Images. Image. 12 January 2012.

Concentration Camp Survivors. Google Images. Image. 12 January 2012.

German Boy and Jewish Boy. Google Images. Image. 12 January 2012.

Hitler. Google Images. Image. 12 January 2012.

Holocaust. Google Images. Image. 12 January 2012.