hmTv at HMTC Podcasts Ep 403: Education in Motion with Zach Graulich and guest Kelly Fives on hmTv
Podcast Description – Ep 403 (Education in Motion on hmTv)
Episode Title: Education in Motion: Teaching Holocaust History Through Human Stories
Host: Zach Graulich
Guest: Kelly Fives
In the premiere episode of Education in Motion on hmTv, host Zach Graulich, Assistant Director of Education at the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center (HMTC), welcomes passionate educator and curriculum designer Kelly Fives for an inspiring conversation about the power of teaching history through story, empathy, and meaningful connection.
Kelly shares her journey from aspiring journalist to English teacher, and how literature became her most powerful doorway into the past, especially when teaching students about the Holocaust, genocide, and moral decision-making. With years of experience teaching at the Churchill School and Dwight School in New York, Kelly offers a unique perspective on how educators can move beyond facts and dates and help students connect to history as lived human experience.
Throughout the episode, Zach and Kelly explore:
- Why Holocaust education matters deeply in today’s world
- How educators can teach difficult history with sensitivity and purpose
- The importance of resistance narratives and pre-war Jewish life
- Student “aha moments” that reveal the lasting impact of this work
- The growing challenge of Holocaust distortion and misinformation
- Practical advice for parents, teachers, and community members who want to bring this learning into schools
Kelly also reflects on her work with ConnectED, supporting educators across North America, and shares meaningful takeaways from her recent Yad Vashem International Seminar in Jerusalem, where educators from around the world gathered to learn and collaborate.
This episode is a powerful reminder that the most effective education doesn’t start with numbers, it starts with names, stories, and humanity.
Listen, learn, and join the movement for education that creates empathy, courage, and understanding.
Find more episodes of hmTv at HMTCLI.org.