Pennies for Hitler

“Please keep reading!”  When you hear that you know it’s a goodie!

 

An afternoon shared book becomes a high stakes piece of classroom literacy and motivation.

 

Another example of integrating Mitey into the curriculum.

Pennies for Hitler, by Jackie French...A story steeped in history just begging to be ripped apart through process drama baring the concepts of

war, loss, grief, new beginnings, kindness, compassion and courage.

The story explores the ideas of discrimination, hatred and fear of being different.

There is the ongoing idea that while hatred is contagious so is love.

Discussion was in-depth while writing became purposeful with highly descriptive

language articulating the pain and suffering of those caught up in the era.

Non-writers became silently obsessed patiently waiting to share their work.

Critical moments, in a section of the story, were examined, rationalised

for significance, re-created through process drama and expressed in clay.

Through hot seating students suspended their own realities and experienced the view

through multiple perspectives allowing the characters motivations and cultural contexts to

be examined.

 

Akonga challenged attitudes and values that lead to stereotyping and

discrimination and demonstrated their feelings in a range of ways and

situations...Level 4 (Mitey).

 

“Hatred is contagious. Fear is too. When things are bad it is good to have

someone else to blame” (from the introduction of Pennies for Hitler)... a concept still alive

in our world today. And a reason we need to push our tamariki to utter, speak, express,

articulate and interrogate... one way we can make sure feelings and views are shared and

know that what they feel is ok, it is real, but fear in any form or for any reason must not

overtake love and kindness.