Our students had a very positive experience learning interactive interviewing skills that enabled them to take oral histories. They developed new skills in thinking through their questions and creating follow-up… read more →

The distinction between civil rights and human rights comes up in the news all the time, so there is continual discussion about the subject matter raised in The Essence of… read more →

This is a living history of real people. It brings a new face and reality to my students. To understand that other people suffer and survive expands their sense of… read more →

The Essence of Acceptance is very beneficial for my students. They are able to meet people from different backgrounds, talk with them and get a different perspective on a great… read more →

I just wanted to give you feedback on what an absolutely incredible day we had here at the junior high school when Vera [Korkus, a Holocaust survivor] came last Thursday… read more →

The curriculum and materials are excellent. They are thorough and allow students to investigate issues that are still a concern today, as well as to form a connection with the… read more →

I now see the prejudice that is going on around the school and I can see the prejudice inside me. I now realize that everyone is prejudiced and I’m trying… read more →

It was a lot better [than reading history]. We got to be more involved. You got to listen to someone else’s story and got to have an opinion. It sticks… read more →

I was very intrigued to discover new aspects of foreign culture that I had been blind to before. To hear a firsthand account of an event or place is much… read more →

I appreciate your truth and your willingness to share your dear memories with the school… I along with [another girl] are the only Jews in 8th grade. We are both… read more →

Our textbook briefly discusses the conflict between the Arabs and Jews, but you were able to allow me to understand this conflict. Your discussions motivate me to go out and… read more →

…racist comments like ‘Go back to China’ surprised me. I thought racism pretty much ended in the 60’s.

It’s hard for me sometimes to have to adjust to little things, but I can only imagine what it would be like to have to adjust to a whole new… read more →

Even though I knew a lot about the Arab-Israeli conflict, you opened my eyes to the history behind it and some possible solutions.

…surviving the Holocaust is the most extraordinary and untopable feat I’ve ever heard. I think you are very brave and a true hero just because of the sole fact of… read more →

I haven’t been to a show in years where I took away so much.

[You] helped me understand how truly awful hate is and what can happen. I learned that in order to keep this from happening again, myself and others should learn to… read more →

Essence of Acceptance is a great tool for a teacher. To talk about the prejudice and differences from an individual to a school to a global context can be a… read more →

The Essence of Acceptance curriculum increased their awareness of, and appreciation for, basic qualities of life that we usually take for granted. They listened intently; they asked thoughtful, appropriate, respectful… read more →

I found it to be very sad that you had to experience these things. It gave me a great sense of how things were in the Holocaust. I am especially… read more →

I think that [her] story impacted me because it was coming from a person who had seen the effects of history, rather than a boring text book.

Our interview affected me because I didn’t know stereotypes were that harsh on the Chinese.

When you read a book, it’s not real. When you listen to someone’s experience, it’s completely different.

It makes me feel we think our problems are so big, but once you hear their problems, it’s not even close.