Publication
Teaching to prevent atrocity crimes: a guide for teachers in Africa
This guide seeks to assist teachers from Africa in preparing and designing lessons about atrocity crimes, including genocide. It provides teachers with background knowledge, teaching principles and concrete pedagogies to educate about complex histories and to navigate related classroom discussions.
The guide has been developed with and for African teachers taking into consideration local contexts and needs. It aims to support teachers in strengthening historical literacy, critical thinking and solidarity among learners to overcome prejudice and to contribute to more peaceful and inclusive societies.
The guide seeks to
- Develop teachers’ understanding of key concepts, facts and debates on atrocity crimes
- Advance teachers’ skills to navigate the complexities of these phenomena and facilitate classroom conversations around such topics
- Familiarize teachers with appropriate pedagogies and approaches to deal with these violent topics in the classroom
The guide is written for teachers with varying experiences, professionally and personally. It takes into consideration that some teachers may be more familiar with the topic than others.
It acknowledges that teachers themselves, along with their students, may have lived through atrocity crimes, may be experiencing intergenerational trauma, or be living with a sense of guilt due to violence inflicted by their forebears. It also guides teachers in reviewing local curricula frameworks to identify adequate entry points to teach about atrocity crimes, integrating the topics into already existing structures rather than adding to them. Teachers are encouraged to use this guide to help develop their own informed approach to teaching about atrocity crimes, appropriate to their context and learner’s realities.
