‘ Master Teacher ’ of the Holocaust
INPERSON
‘ Master Teacher ’ of the Holocaust
Shaler Area High School social studies teacher Nick Haberman named this year ’ s Holocaust Educator of the Year .
By Nicole Tafe
As a graduate of Shaler Area High School , Nicholas Haberman has come full circle as he begins his 13th year as a teacher for the district . Haberman was recently recognized by the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh and named this year ’ s Holocaust Educator of the Year .
Haberman is a fourth-generation teacher . He holds a bachelor ’ s degree in History and a Master of Arts in Teaching — both from the University of Pittsburgh . He and his wife , Lindsay , who is also a teacher , have two children — Lily and Elijah .
While in college , Haberman worked at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in the education department and held a six-month internship as an archivist at The Natural History Museum in London , England . He began his career at Shaler Area School District in 2006 .
Currently , Haberman teaches 10th grade World Culture , and an 11th to 12th grade elective called “ Holocaust : Background , Tragedy , and Aftermath .” This year , as a result of the Holocaust Educator of the Year award , he will be teaching a 9th through 12th grade Multicultural Studies elective focused on multiculturalism , genocide and human rights for the first time .
“ The title of Holocaust Educator of the Year , and the subsequent title of Alfred Lerner Fellow , has given me new opportunities at Shaler Area High School ,” explains Haberman . “ Throughout the upcoming school year , I ’ ll be teaching a new course on multiculturalism , and developing a Center for Holocaust , Genocide and Human Rights Education — the first of its kind that I ’ m aware of .”
Located in a bright , open room adjacent to the Shaler Area High School library , the new center will not only serve as a permanent classroom for existing Holocaust , genocide and human rights-related courses , but also as a dedicated space for remembrance , research and community outreach . It will be a home for art , activism , research , after-school activities and clubs , cross-curricular collaboration , professional development , independent
Nicholas Haberman
studies , online course offerings and guest speakers .
“ My recent recognition has given me the inspiration , motivation and support to make this project a reality ,” says Haberman . “ The next step is to raise additional funds to purchase collaborative , flexible furniture for the center . The goal is to have the center officially open for the 2019-2020 school year .”
The Holocaust Educator of the Year award was created by the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh to promote and recognize the importance of Holocaust education . To qualify for the award , one must hold a teaching position in Ohio , West Virginia or Pennsylvania , have at least two years of experience teaching the Holocaust , and conduct a Holocaust unit of at least one week with students . An application requiring several letters of recommendation from colleagues and students , a resume , teaching experience and four essays on the experience teaching about the Holocaust is also required .
Haberman won the award for his experience teaching the Holocaust elective at Shaler Area — an optional , one-semester ( 90-day ) course focused on the background , tragedy and aftermath of the Holocaust . “ In my class , I use a lot of survivor testimonies , and students have multiple opportunities to meet survivors , and visit the U . S . Holocaust Memorial and Museum in Washington , D . C .,” notes Haberman . “ After meeting so many survivors , it ’ s truly humbling to be recognized for my efforts to pass on their
stories , and , as one survivor once told me , ‘ to lead a life that is useful to the community .’ The Holocaust is not an easy subject to teach , so to be recognized by the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh as someone who successfully broaches the subject is both an honor and a sense of great responsibility to continue and share my work .”
The award was given at the Waldman International Arts and Writing award ceremony , where Haberman was asked to give a speech on this year ’ s Waldman theme — Children in the Holocaust . It came with a prize of $ 2,000 , an additional $ 1,000 to Shaler Area to support the teaching of the Holocaust , and an all-expense-paid trip to Columbia University in New York City to become an Alfred Lerner Fellow through the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous . Following the completion of his fellowship , Haberman is now considered a “ Master Teacher ” of the Holocaust .
“ It ’ s impossible not to be forever changed after seeing a Holocaust survivor tell their story in person ,” says Haberman . “ After more than 10 years of introducing Shaler Area students to survivors and seeing the effect it has on their education , I have made it my first priority to expand these experiences to more students of Shaler Area and draw parallels between the Holocaust and modern-day genocides and human rights violations . Additionally , I want our Holocaust , genocide , and human rights curriculum , courses , and center to be a model for other school districts to follow .” ■
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