In the early aftermath of disasterous events, teacher
trainers, like others, are challenged to return to their normal duties,
typical life activities, and professional responsibilities. Just
as you may experience a wide range of reactions to the events that have
impacted your community, it can be expected teachers in training will also
be affected...especially those who are helping children and youth deal
with the catastrophe. They will run the range of emotions from denial
and “let’s get back to
business” up through inability to concentrate, anxiety and fear, outpourings
of grief, expressions of anger, feelings of pain, and a sense of helplessness.
All of these are expected human reactions to an extraordinary tragedy.
In the coming days, months, and even years, your students will speak of the events, their experiences, and the reactions of students and colleagues back in their schools. We and our teachers in training may struggle with the competing pulls of the need to process the meaning of these events and the desire to keep on with the mission of teaching/learning scholarly material. We should recognize that, for a while, neither teaching nor learning will be the same. Both we and our students may experience strong emotions, but we will want to assure that we provide a safe place for those feelings. We may need to protect individual students or groups of students, who may be singled out for blame and responsibility for the act(s). We are likely to be involved in discussions of issues that could escalate emotionally. It is our responsibility to create and maintain a physically and psychologically safe and balanced perspective.
Here are some suggestions that should help to achieve our educational and emotional goals in light of a tragedy.
- Start the class with your usual routine—announcements, recaps of the
previous class, attendance—whatever it is that you usually do.
- If you feel comfortable and prepared, let the class know that there
will be time for discussion of recent events. (This may be easier to do
if the events and issues they raise are somehow related to your educational
discipline or subject area.)
- You may wish to ask the class outright if they wish to discuss these
issues. Conversely, you might decide that the subject is not appropriate
for a number of reasons, including the fact that you are not comfortable
or qualified to be discussing these issues.
If you have chosen to discuss these issues:
- Previous to class, think about how you will open the discussion. You
might want to establish certain ground rules for the discussion.
For example, some rules might be: respect each other’s views, avoid
inflammatory language, avoid stereotypes and overgeneralizations, don't
blame those who were not at fault, and use respectful and non-abusive language.
- Be aware that in any given class, it is likely that some of your students
may have had traumatic experiences and/or losses, and even the most benign
seeming statements or discussions could be quite unsettling. Be alert to
variations in your students’ responses and reactions.
- Be aware that students may express personal feelings, including frustration,
anger, and even rage. It is important to balance allowing freedom
of expression with maintaining an environment that is physically and psychologically
safe for all students.
- Determine what you expect your students to take out of the discussion,
being aware that there are limits to what can be accomplished in one class
session. For example, a classroom is not the appropriate venue for
therapy or counseling, neither is it a place for confrontational argument.
Be aware that both of these types of situations can easily spin out of
control.
- Create a framework for the discussion. Consider treating this talk
as you might any worthwhile classroom activity. What are your goals,
your themes, and your organization? Use what you know about eliciting
effective classroom discussions (e.g., setting out the guidelines, asking
students to write their ideas before discussion, arranging chairs in the
round to facilitate connection and empathy, and so forth).
-Ask about the school kids. How were the kids (re)acting?
How are the teachers explaining things to them? What have they been
doing to help the kids cope?
- If possible, connect the content of your class or discipline to the
event(s), moving the discussion toward understanding in a more scholarly
way.
- If the discussion appears to be getting out of hand, remind students
of the standards of constructive argument, the ground rules of the discussion,
and the importance of mutual respect for maintaining meaningful discourse.
- Let students know how they can receive help and support, and, just
as importantly, what positive actions they can take in response to this
tragedy.
- Because the topics may be so contentious, remember to leave time to
bring class to a
reasoned close. You do not wish to have students leave feeling
emotionally raw or overwrought by the discussion.
A great deal of the material on
this page was derived from a letter to faculty written by Jennifer J. Raab,
President of Hunter College of CUNY
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