The Project
'Facing Our History, Shaping the Future’ is a three-year project delivered by the Corrymeela Community, in partnership with
Facing History and Ourselves. The project combines Facing History’s innovative approach to teaching history with Corrymeela’s expertise in Peace Building and Citizenship programmes. Funding is provided by the
International Fund for Ireland's ‘Sharing in Education Programme’ via the
Department of Education.
The Approach
Through a rigorous investigation of the events that led to
the Holocaust, as well as other recent examples of genocide and mass violence, Facing History helps pupils learn to combat prejudice with compassion, indifference with participation, and myth and misinformation with knowledge.
The Facing History approach is fully aligned to the revised History Curriculum across all Key Stages, but is particularly relevant to Key Stage 3 both in relation to studying the Holocaust and exploring the ‘Causes and Consequences of Partition.’ Facing History is equally at home within the Citizenship class and can be used as a medium for cross-curricular and whole school approaches to learning, including meeting the requirements of the Community Relations, Equality and Diversity (CRED) Policy.
Strand One
Teacher Training
We offer a range of half day, full day and residential training opportunities for teachers. The focus is on helping them to master important skills in classroom pedagogy such as how to conduct a discussion in which pupils truly talk and listen to one another, how to raise sensitive topics and how to establish a classroom atmosphere of trust. Moreover, teachers will experience new resources and learn new teaching strategies. The cost of a substitute teacher is provided by Corrymeela.
Resource Library and Follow UpFollowing completion of a training session, teachers will have access to a range of online resources via Facing History’s website and full borrowing rights from the Facing History lending library housed at Corrymeela’s Belfast Office. The ‘Facing our History, Shaping the Future’ Project Coordinator will also provide follow up support, particularly around curricula needs and advise on classroom implementation.
Click here to download the library catalogue.
Strand Two
Student Teacher TrainingWorking in partnership with local teacher training colleges and institutions, we will also offer residential and workshop-based learning opportunities for student teachers, particularly those studying history and citizenship.
Strand Three
Pupil Learning Programmes -Residential and Workshop Based
There are also a number of fully funded opportunities for pupils to deepen their classroom-based learning with a residential programme at the Corrymeela Centre, Ballycastle. Typically undertaken with a cross-community partner school, we are seeking to work with classes at Key Stage 3, 4 and 6th Form. The Programmes will be based on the Facing History and Ourselves approach, supporting pupils to explore prejudice and confront stereotyping in a safe environment. Facilitated by Corrymeela staff and volunteers, the programme will be tailored to meet the needs of the individual schools and to ensure that the content complements and adds value to their classroom based work. For 6th form year groups an Enrichment Programme can also be devised combining weekly lessons with a residential.
Facing Histo
ry and Ourselves, founded in 1976, is an international educational and professional development organisation whose mission is to engage students of diverse backgrounds in an examination of racism, prejudice and antisemitism in order to promote the development of more humane and informed citizens. Learn more at www.facinghistory.org
This project is funded by the International Fund for Ireland