As heartbreaking and shocking pictures and video from the aftermath of the devastating Haiti earthquake make their way across the Internet and through social networking sites, and as estimates of the death toll continue to rise, educators are grappling with how to present and discuss this issue with students.
One of your best sources of guidance during crises such as this is the NEA Health Information Network, which has an up-to-the-minute compilation of information and classroom tips. The HIN - which created the online School Crisis Guide for just such situations - quickly put together a list of tips for talking to students of all ages about the tragedy in Haiti. They include these recommendations:
Young Children (ages 5-9)
Share basic information that draws on their natural empathy of young children. Have children draw, color and/or write their thoughts about what has happened in Haiti.
For Older Elementary (ages 9-12)
Older elementary children will receive information from TV, newspapers, magazines. They will see images of children who have died and who are seriously injured. Ensure that you have “talk time” for them. Listen to what they have seen and what they have heard. Have them, as a class, decide on an activity that they could engage in to support the recovery effort. Seek out activities that will be most helpful to victims of the earthquake. Leaders at Columbine, after the tragedy there, were forced to deal a warehouse filled with “gifts” that could never be used but that make the schools that send these items feel good.
Middle and Early High School (ages 12-14)
Students of these ages want to act. They are the students who are motivated to save animals from harm and are often those who have a vision for saving the world. Brainstorm actions that these students might take that would benefit a classroom in Haiti:
- Collect money.
- Collect other items if you have a vehicle for sending items to Haiti.
High School (ages 15 on)
These students can more easily understand the level of devastation that Haiti has experienced. In civics and other social science classes, use this disaster to talk about the role of world government in responding to international crisis.
As you can see, the NEA HIN has a system in place and reacts when tragedy strikes. It's a great site to bookmark for times like these.
The NEA Family is responding in other ways as well.
I received an e-mail this afternoon from Darren Allen, my colleague at the Vermont NEA, who has compiled a valuable list of resources that I want to pass along to you:
Documents:
Of course, there is no shortage of online photos, commentary or video from the earthquake. Type #Haiti in Twitter or search for Haiti earthquake in Facebook. Doing so brought me to this extensive Earthquake Haiti group. For video, just go to YouTube and type Haiti earthquake. I did so and found the very short video below that provides a horrifying glimpse into how quickly this enormously powerful earthquake completely destroyed a very large Port au Prince building.
Maybe you have some classroom tips, links to other resources, or perspectives you would like to share with your colleagues throughout the state. Please use the comment section below to share, and I will do what I can to pass them along.