What would you do?

An important part of the educational programme is making the connection between the past and the present. Themes like liberty, being forced to flee, safety, and friendship form the basis for discussions about topics like freedom or lack thereof, dilemmas, and making choices. Active work forms stimulate pupils to, together, explore opinions and views related to the past, the present and topical issues.    
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Visits from school classes are supervised by a CODA teacher. Group visits are supervised by a guide of the Apeldoorns Gidsen Collectief.

Primary schools

Hanna's reis (Hanna’s Journey)

Hanna’s reis is the story of a girl who is admitted to the ward for problem children of Het Apeldoornsche Bosch. It is 1942, and in Amsterdam, Jews – including Hanna’s family – are taken from their homes. While the situation in the west of the country deteriorates, the Jews in Het Apeldoornsche Bosch seem to be relatively safe. Until the institution is abruptly raided and cleared in the night of 21/22 January 1943. Those who do not manage to flee, are taken away. The train goes straight to extermination camp Auschwitz.

This children’s novel, commissioned by CODA, was written in 2012 by Martine Letterie. Hanna’s story is based on the life of Greta Swart. She is fifteen years old when she is sent from Amsterdam to the Paedagogium Achisomog, the children’s ward of Het Apeldoornsche Bosch. Her story is incorporated in the exhibition at Memorial Centre Apeldoornsche Bosch.

Teaching material connected to Hanna’s Reis was developed to prepare pupils for a visit to the Memorial Centre. This programme challenges pupils to combine the puzzle pieces that together make up the history of Het Apeldoornsche Bosch, and to discuss that history. This stand-alone programme can be taught at the Memorial Centre by a CODA teacher, or you can teach it in your own classroom.

This programme can be adapted to suit pupils in the first 2/3 forms of secondary school (ages 12-14).

Secondary schools

The teaching programme for secondary schools is mainly aimed at the pupils in the higher forms (ages 15-18). The key goal is linking the history of Het Apeldoornsche Bosch to the present and to current affairs through dialogue. This is done using four main themes: freedom, friendship, being forced to flee, and safety.

Programme set-up
During their visit to Memorial Centre Apeldoornsche Bosch, pupils are presented with personal stories about the events that took place at the institution. The pupils are actively invited to explore the site themselves. The personal stories bring daily life at Het Apeldoornsche Bosch closer. Like ‘journalists’, the pupils, divided into small groups, survey the various spaces, viewing them through the eyes of the people who lived and worked at the institution. Afterwards, they talk about dilemmas and about making choices. Lastly, the pupils make a V journal together.

This programme is supervised by CODA teachers who received I ASK training. I ASK is a method that was developed by the Joods Cultureel Kwartier. Asking questions and being open to other opinions and views are central to this method. You can find more information about the I ASK method here.

Because the rooms of the Memorial Centre are quite small, we ask you to select one of the four main themes (freedom, friendship, being forced to flee, and safety) for each group.

Schools for Intermediate Vocational Education (MBO)

A programme aimed at MBO students is currently being developed in collaboration with ROC Aventus. This programme will be available from the academic year 2020-2021 and addresses themes like civic education and democracy. You can of course visit the Memory Centre before this time. Please contact CODA’s Educational Team to discuss possibilities and any specific preferences.

Schools for Higher Vocational Education (HBO) and Universities

For HBO and university students, we offer programmes that tie in with specific research questions. The site of the former Apeldoornsche Bosch can still be visited. Students will be given an interactive tour of the site, during which topical dilemmas and questions regarding freedom, democracy and the issue of refugees will be addressed.