Responding to Death in the Classroom
This is a PDF file for educators to help them when the situation of a student death arrises. As the article state, there is no "right" way to deal with death in the classroom since it will affect each student in a different way and each student will react differently than the other. But it is important to have a guide when dealing with tough issues like this. The article suggests:
1. Keep yourself informed - get the facts.
2. Plan your class response in reference to the information you have gathered.
3. If the tragedy was a student suicide, try not to glamorize it with your in-class
response.
4. Don't be afraid to ask how your students are doing.
5. Remember that you are modeling an appropriate response, and that students may
look to you for guidance, but that each person responds differently to grief and loss.
7. Try to return the class to a normal schedule as quickly as possible.
8. Do not be afraid to refer any student about whom you are concerned to the
Counseling Center (UCC).
9. Consider bringing information on grief, trauma, loss, and campus resources to
class.
Each section goes into more detail about the steps.
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This is a list of different books that have a main theme of death. The books vary in age from small children to probably eigth grade depending on the reading level of the student. Books are a great way for students to realize how others deal with death and what they can do to cope. Many students can relate to characters in novels which can give them the confidence to press on when they feel lost and alone.
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This is a link with different websites that help others learn how to cope with death. When someone dies sometimes people are unsure about how to deal with this death. I believe that everyone should have some "grief education" so that they can be understanding and supporting, or just make it through the day after the death of someone close.
"Though everyone deals with grief differently, we go through the same stages as we learn to deal with loss. These articles give you an overview of what happens when someone close to us dies."
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Similar to the site above, this is a link informing people how to deal with grief. Unlike the link above this is directed for teens only. It is written so that a teen is able to relate to the information or understand it. This would be a good handout to have in case of a death at school of a student or teacher or someone everyone is close with.
"You may be reading this because someone you care about is dying or has died. You may also be concerned about how to help someone who is grieving. This section will give you some information about grief and trauma and ideas that may be helpful in facing grief."
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Coping with the Death of a Student
This is an educational article for teachers about dealing with students or peers who are coping with the death of student or staff member. I think one of the most helpful things in the booklet is a chart that lists the type of death and what kind of information can be shared about the death/student. Death is a tough issue to deal with at school and because it does happen but not always to us, we still need to know what the procedures are for a teacher.
"Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the death of a school-based individual, students, teachers, and staff may be impacted in a variety of ways."
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