"When Bad Things Are Happening" When news breaks of disaster or violence, your students may want to discuss a crisis as it unfolds.
Here’s how:
- Ask and listen first
- Keep the conversation age-appropriate
- Limit a child's exposure to the media
- Be honest, but make sure the child knows they are safe
- Take race and violence in an age-appropriate way
Read more about these supports.
"A Teaching Tolerance Guide: Let's Talk! Facilitating Critical Conversations With Students" is a 44-page guide from the Southern Poverty Law Center that offers advice for parents/care-takers/adults. This includes support on how to answer common questions from both children and adults such as:
- What happened?
- Could I have done anything to prevent this?
- Whose fault is it?
- Is this going to change my life?
- Can I help?
- I don't want to make things worse, so should I say nothing instead?
- What if this upsets them?
- Should I bring it up even if they don't ask questions? What if they don't seem to want to talk about it?
- How can I tell if children need more than I can provide? Where should I go for such help?