Margaret Turner, a teacher at Catoosa County Public Schools in Ringgold, attended the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s fourteenth annual Arthur and Rochelle Belfer National Conference for Educators from June 27 to June 29. Turner was one of more than 175 secondary educators from around the country who participated in the three-day workshop.

The conference is part of the museum’s ongoing effort to equip educators nationwide with the knowledge and skills to effectively bring Holocaust education into their classrooms. Every year, the museum trains hundreds of teachers through training programs held in Washington, D.C. and around the country.

“In the face of rising anti-semitism and Holocaust denial, educating students about this history is increasingly urgent,” said Peter Fredlake, director of Museum National Outreach for Teacher Initiatives. “As the global leader in Holocaust education, the museum works to ensure teachers have the training and resources they need to introduce their students to this important and complex history and show them how its lessons remain relevant to all citizens.”

Conference participants represent a variety of disciplines — including history, English, library science and more — and work with museum educators and Holocaust scholars to enhance both their historical knowledge of the Holocaust and explore successful practices that engage students in this history.

Teachers with five or more years experience in Holocaust education may participate in the Belfer Next Step Conference held every two years, or the intensive, five-day Museum Teacher Fellowship program held each summer. In addition, the Museum’s Regional Education Corps is a dedicated and growing team of 31 advanced Holocaust educators who provide other teachers around the country with the tools to teach the Holocaust effectively.

The museum’s website, www.ushmm.org, provides resources at no cost to educators, including a range of online training modules, lesson plans and historical information about the Holocaust.