Talking with children about death and loss
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| Participation is free of charge, registration is requested. |
| German |
| Special Exhibition 1 + 2, Ground Floor, Workshops, First Floor |
| Belongs to: in_finite. Living with Death |
The world is full of disturbing news that even very young children cannot ignore: The war in Ukraine, refugees on the Mediterranean and the climate crisis are everywhere. The Corona pandemic is also still very much in the consciousness.
Especially when a family member or a friend dies, grief becomes the focus – at home as well as in the day care centre. The death of a beloved animal can also be a dramatic experience. How can we discuss such “difficult” topics with children in a good and respectful way? In which way do we need to adapt our choice of words according to age? How do we deal with their signs of grief?
The current special exhibition at the Humboldt Forum In_finite. Living with Death is dedicated to the question of how we live with the knowledge of death. It is mainly aimed at adults, but can also provide food for thought for discussions with children. After all, educational work in exhibitions offers an opportunity to approach certain topics differently than in everyday life – with adults and children alike.
At the symposium, experts from (early childhood) education, palliative and hospice work and education experts come together to exchange their professional expertises with each other and with members of the public.
Programme
10:30am–1pm
Visit to the special exhibition In_finite. Living with Death, introduction and discussion with Marc Wrasse, Curator for Education, SHF
2:30pm–5:30pm
Impulses and room for discussion with:
Maike Erben, FRÖBEL
Robert Gärtner, FRÖBEL
Claudia Lorenz, ALICE-Museum für Kinder im FEZ Berlin
Rebecca Vandrey, Björn Schulz Foundation Berlin
Marc Wrasse, Stiftung Humboldt Forum Berlin
Host: Franziska Dusch
Registration
Participation is free of charge, registration is requested.
If you have any questions, please contact uta.kornmeier@humboldtforum.org.
The symposium is a joint event of the Humboldt Forum Foundation and FRÖBEL e. V. as part of a long-term cooperation.
Short biographies
took over the management of the Alice-Museum for Children at FEZ Berlin in 2002. Since then, she has developed a series of exhibitions that have been presented at the FEZ Berlin and in museums throughout Germany and in other European countries. These include the exhibition Tell me about death, which has been successfully touring museums for many years. The most recent exhibition Susi und Wir. Vom Hingucken und Wegschauen is shortlisted for the “Children in Museums Award”, which will be presented at the end of October 2023.
is a curative teacher and has been leading the bereavement group for children at the Björn Schulz Foundation Berlin since 2010. She accompanies siblings, grieving children and young people in various group activities, project days and leisure trips. She also goes to daycare centres and schools to inform them about the topics of dying, death and mourning and to train teachers in this area.
works as curator for education and outreach at the Humboldt Forum Foundation and was part of the curatorial team for the exhibition In_finite. Living with Death.
is an educator and has a diploma in social work. She has extensive experience in early childhood education and can look back on many years of professional experience as an educational specialist. She currently works at the FRÖBEL Kindergarten Charité Mitte, and has been the director of this facility since 2020.
is qualified as a pedagogue specializing in the rehabilitation of behavioural disorders. He has worked for many years in youth welfare, since 2019 at FRÖBEL, first as an advisor for child protection, and for the past year as an advisor for family centres, daycare social work and educational support.
is a freelance moderator, process facilitator and format developer. She has been working in the educational and cultural context for over 15 years.