The Education Department of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is pleased to announce the 1996 Arthur and Rochelle Belfer National Conference for Educators. The conference, created to encourage Holocaust education in classrooms nationwide, is funded by a generous gift from the Belfer Foundation.

Middle and high school educators -- including those with little or no experience teaching the Holocaust -- are invited to apply to attend a conference. After completing the program, participants will receive a collection of educational resources and a Museum Shop voucher for purchasing Holocaust-related materials.

At the conference, educators and scholars will share rationales, strategies, and approaches for presenting this complex topic to students. Sessions will emphasize planning and implementing units of study designed specifically for middle and high school courses. During the three-day conference, participants will also have an opportunity to meet with Museum staff and visit the Permanent Exhibition in non-public hours as well as two special exhibitions, "Remember the Children" and "The 1936 Berlin Olympics," the interactive Wexner Learning Center, and the Resource Center for Educators.

To be considered, please submit the on-line application, to the Museum's Education Department no later than February 29, 1996. Applicants will be notified by the end of March.

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM

After an early afternoon (noon-2 p.m.) registration on Sunday, the conference will begin with a general session followed by a reception. On Sunday evening, participants will view the Museum's Permanent Exhibition after the Museum closes to the public.

On Monday and Tuesday participants will be scheduled for additional small group tours of the Permanent Exhibition. Middle and high school educators will attend workshops for developing rationales and strategies for teaching about the Holocaust. Staff and Holocaust scholars will conduct general sessions about Holocaust history and pedagogy-related topics. All participants will have the opportunity to attend networking sessions that are facilitated by Museum staff. The conference will end no later than 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

Participants will pre-register by mail for architecture and art tours, sessions in the Resource Center for Educators, and tours of the Permanent Exhibition.

Confirmation letters and detailed conference information will be mailed to participants no later than March 29, 1996. To confirm your attendance, pre-registration forms must be returned to Sylvia Kay, Conference Coordinator, by April 12, 1996.