Do teachers normally have this much freedom in making up assignments?

Am I alone in thinking this was a good assignment?
One of my kids recently covered a similar book in her primary school, covering it from the Nazi perspective too did I think give her a better understanding of the book and its backround.

There are so many standard works of fiction used in education with historical settings that covering the history around the book is pretty vital to understanding the scope of the work they are studying.

[Kazuaki Shimazaki II]

Originally Posted by Tribesman

Am I alone in thinking this was a good assignment?

No, you are not. The topic is tasteless and un-PC, but that was the whole point - the topic has to be something that's not just "controversial", but universally (or as close to it as posssible) unsavory. Other suitable topics for the task might be to write something supporting the legalization of pedophilia.

Kazuaki. For another "contraversial" subject which is a pretty standard text in schools lets take a book about simple ingrained racial bigotry in society like is portrayed Harper Lees' work.
It can get the same basic treatment in class as this book about the holocaust did.

[Jimbuna]

An interesting assignment one could say but I'm not convinced...obviously I'm no teacher.

[Hottentot]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

An interesting assignment one could say but I'm not convinced...obviously I'm no teacher.

An assignment is only one part of it. One could also read the assignments I have written for my classes and say the same. It's more about how you use it as a part of the whole, and of this we have very little information available.

It's more about how you use it as a part of the whole, and of this we have very little information available.

How about another part of the whole?
Blessed be God's name? Why, but why would I bless Him? Every fiber in me rebelled. Because He caused thousands of children to burn in His mass graves? Because He kept six crematoria working day and night, including Sabbath and the Holy Days? Because in His great might, He had created Auschwitz, Birkenau, Buna, and so many other factories of death? How could I say to Him: Blessed be Thou, Almighty, Master of the Universe, who chose us among all nations to be tortured day and night, to watch as our fathers, our mothers, our brothers end up in the furnaces? ... But now, I no longer pleaded for anything. I was no longer able to lament. On the contrary, I felt very strong. I was the accuser, God the accused.

[Hottentot]

Originally Posted by Tribesman

How about another part of the whole?

I don't see how a quote from a Holocaust survivor relates to what I said about class assignments being used as a part of the whole (that is, each class) and not being supposed to stand on their own legs (as we are now analyzing the said assignment based on the article).

[fireftr18]

Originally Posted by Tribesman

Am I alone in thinking this was a good assignment?
One of my kids recently covered a similar book in her primary school, covering it from the Nazi perspective too did I think give her a better understanding of the book and its backround.

There are so many standard works of fiction used in education with historical settings that covering the history around the book is pretty vital to understanding the scope of the work they are studying.

I think it's a very intriguing assignment. It show's how the use of propaganda and the use of a controlled media. I do think though that it is innapropriate for the age group.