Photo Credit: Jon S
Educators have a responsibility beyond the material in their selected textbooks—and the same rule applies to online tutors. The bottom line is, when the TV news hurls a tumult of violence and struggle, students will have questions.
And most of the time, tutors and teachers would be remiss if they held back in their answers. Whether it’s large scale riots, ISIS’s latest abhorrent act, or a virus that sweeps a third world country, it’s the educator’s responsibility to alleviate concerns, reveal specific information, and make their students feel less confused and more at ease.
The best advice for this tricky obstacle comes from Fred Rogers, the children’s television star who brought puppets, singing, and imagination into homes across the nation via his PBS show for years.
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.”
Fred certainly had a way of comforting kids, and as an educator, you can have the same positive impact. But, as mentioned earlier, times of tragedy often become especially tricky for teachers and students.
With that said, we’ve got some helpful advice for how to calm your students’ fears, while being honest about the situation.
Factor in the age of your student(s).
A group of fourth graders will be vastly more astounded by a horrific image they see on the news than a classroom full of high school students. For very young children, students might see looped or replayed footage and believe that a tragedy is happening all over again.
Imagine being a 9-year-old, and watching the Twin Towers fall over and over again. If you think this horrific image was happening over and over, it would be remarkably terrifying.
Keep these things in mind as you ease the tension in the classroom.
Let students know that they are not at immediate risk.
Most any catastrophic event comes with a change in societal behavior—this is especially true for schools. From updated lockdown protocol to changes in zero tolerance weapons policies, there are sometimes swift changes that can make some students feel uneasy.
To combat this, let your students know that there is no immediate danger. If you tutor or teach younger students, remind them that there are people who will take care of them.
Talk to your students, but more important, listen to them. This goes for online tutors who may have to field questions and alleviate concerns after a major tragedy strikes.
Talk and listen. Most of the time, these are the two things that help students most.
