The pedagogical sounds of silences. Beyond the silence of Auschwitz

After the vast silence of Auschwitz, in this descriptive, educational journey through the sounds of silence, we discuss the semantics of silences, accept its polysemy and describe some of its meanings that are most closely related to education. We analyse the genealogy of silences; the key to their origin. We also investigate the teleology of silences; their aim, either in terms of education or not. Finally, on the basis of silence as a pedagogical value in education throughout life, we propose five progressive stages in which silences can be addressed pedagogically, with a axiological, qualitative shift between silence as a stage—to be in silence—and silence as essence—to be silent.