Helping Students Process Tragedy in the News
A major challenge for any teacher is knowing how to present news to students about tragic events in the world, including acts of terrorism and hate crimes. Many students are exposed to these news stories along with the rest of us, and they’ll likely have fears, concerns and questions about the event and what it means.
What’s the best way to foster a healthy, safe and supportive environment for students to discuss and process tragedy? We asked three experts in the field of child psychology and mental health who we work with to help answer this question, and we conclude with our suggestions for using art for expression in the classroom.