Teaching Freedom: Three lessons
that turn history into meaningful action
How can we help young people understand the value of freedom, not just as a historical concept, but as something that shapes their choices, relationships and responsibilities today?
For teachers of history, English and civic education, this question offers an opportunity to move beyond traditional classroom routines and create learning experiences that challenge students to think, question, collaborate and reflect. Young people may know the names of historical figures, recognise significant dates and describe events from the past. But do they understand the difficult choices people faced when freedom was threatened? Can they recognise the connection between historical struggles for freedom and the democratic values they enjoy today? And are they prepared to defend those values in their own lives?
These questions formed the starting point for an international Erasmus + project entitled“ Young People in Resistance Against Totalitarian Systems and Dictatorships – Freedom and Historical Heritage as a Responsibility for the Future of a United Europe.” The project brought together students and teachers from two partner schools: LO im. M. Kopernika in Tarnobrzeg, Poland and Deutschhaus Gymnasium in Würzburg, Germany. Through their cooperation, participants explored European historical experiences, examined the meaning of resistance and freedom, and reflected on the responsibility of younger generations for preserving democratic values and building a united Europe.
The three lesson plans presented here: Traces of Freedom, What Would You Do? and Oxford-Style Debate were developed and implemented as part of this Erasmus + project. They were designed to turn its central themes into meaningful educational experiences through active, student-centred learning. Rather than treating history as a collection of facts to be remembered, the activities invited students to investigate the past, examine moral dilemmas and engage in evidence-based discussions about the world they live in.
The journey began outside the classroom with Traces of Freedom, a city game that turned the local environment into a space for historical discovery. Students explored selected sites in Tarnobrzeg, investigated historical sources, interviewed local residents and reflected on the meaning of freedom. By connecting places, personal memories and historical narratives, they discovered that history is not confined to textbooks or museums. It is also present in the communities where people live, in the stories they tell and in the memories they choose to preserve. The activity concluded with students creating short videos that connected historical experiences with their own understanding of freedom today.