Testimonies

Testimonies from Facing the Past teachers

“This has been so valuable because I view my role as a teacher in a different way. I truly see myself as someone who can help to create responsible, sensitive and strong citizens of this country. This I can do by opening up issues I have not been able to talk about before this seminar”

Nancy Qavane, a Facing the Past teacher

“With all of us facing our past, according to our own experiences, it brought a new sense of being together as South Africans”

A facing the past teacher

“I would like to thank you sincerely for another useful and well-presented workshop today. I enjoyed the intellectual and academic stimulation and I cannot tell you enough how useful the academic content is for the presentation of lessons and for personal enrichment. I truly am extremely grateful to Facing the Past and Shikaya for the generous contribution of teaching resources and materials that I can use to enhance the presentation of my lessons. It is very valuable to interact with colleagues and to try out new teaching strategies. I am undoubtedly going to use the documentaries Eye on the Prize and the lesson materials that we were given.

I am indebted to … Facing the Past for the immeasurable contribution to making my teaching even more rewarding. History is the most wonderful discipline to teach and there is always something current and contemporary that I can bring to my lessons. Barack Obama is a wonderful role model for me and my pupils too and the clip of his speech to students stressed the importance of the need for responsible citizenship, moral choice making and empathy. These are such important messages for our pupils to hear at this time in history.”

Sue Grové, Herschel Girls’ School

Testimonies from Facing the Past learners

“Studying the beginnings of apartheid and Nazism in History brought me to the revelation that small comments can isolate people and can create an avalanche of hatred and violence… It is still difficult not to talk about people but I find it easier to speak out when friends talk about somebody and to be friends with someone ‘outside’ my group of friends.”

Sibusisiwe Maseko is being taught by Facing the Past teachers.

I decided through the year that I would not be a bystander if genocide were to occur in my life time- this would be my chance to make a difference! Through the help of the current events society at our school, VOX, I was able to start my petition to end genocide in Darfur and beyond. This year I have continued my will to fight against this mass crime by joining an international student group called STAND, which has greatly kept me motivated to keep the fight against genocide alive. History as a subject opened new doors for me, and has changed me and will change the way in which I view the world.”

Lilian Bolus is being taught by Facing the Past teachers.