While it is not uncommon to learn about the Holocaust in high school, that subject is usually reserved for history class. Harbaugh said that the Holocaust is something that goes beyond World War II history, and is something that can be used to teach students empathy and tolerance. Harbaugh’s senior seminar class studies the Holocaust for about 12 weeks each semester.
His unique style of teaching has not gone unnoticed. Harbaugh was involved in a video project that was shown at a Shoah Foundation Dinner in Los Angeles; a dinner attended by President Obama, who commended Harbaugh on his portion of the video.
"Steven Spielberg, Conan O'Brien, Bruce Springsteen and Kim Kardashian were at the gala, among others," Harbaugh said in an interview with the Kalamazoo Gazette. "I, sadly, was not. I was at a Little League baseball game in Gobles, where I belong."
Some of the materials covered in class are readings by well-known Jewish authors and reading articles on anti-Semitism. Harbaugh said that some students go into his class knowing very minimal about the Holocaust, but come out asking very knowledgeable, though provoking questions.
Along with teaching high school English, Harbaugh is also the co-founder and co-director of the Holocaust Educators Network of Michigan.
To read more about Harbaugh at MLive.com, click here.
Posted by Stan Sulewski