How to respond to Trauma and Violence

In recognition of the trauma caused by yesterday’s violence at the US Capitol and continued unrest we want to provide resources that may help you for your response. 

In Caring for Students in the Wake of a Traumatic News Event, Evie Blad writes about 4 things, we as adults and educators can do right now:

• Identify your own feelings.
  • We have to take time to process our own feelings and understand the effects they have on students’/children's’ emotional stability. Even children who aren’t following the news or are too young to understand, absorb stress from parents and teachers. It’s okay to say “I don’t have the answers."
• Investigate students’ emotions without assumptions. 
  • When Bad Things Happen- Help kids navigate our sometimes-violent world- Includes Psychological First Aid- simple steps to promote healing in the face of community violence
• Provide students a space to share their responses.
  • Adapt for remote instruction
• Seize teachable moments.
  • How to Talk to Kids About Difficult Subjects - How to’s separated by age group
  • Contentious Elections and the Peaceful Transition of Power- eLesson for students from the Bill of Rights Institute

Please know that we are here to support you in any way we can.