Helping Children Through the Trauma of Terrorism

The heartrending loss of life and destruction that occurred on September 11, 2001, when terrorists struck the United States, brought fathomless sorrow to all of us. The ACEI Executive Board and Headquarters staff join our membership in offering prayers for the victims and extending deepest condolences to the victims' families and all others affected by these horrific attacks.

The images broadcast from New York City and Washington, D.C. must inspire action and become an impetus to change the way the world treats its citizens, especially children. We thank those of you who have dedicated your lives to the positive, life-affirming goal of nurturing, protecting, and educating children. We extend our support and appreciation as you strive to reassure your students in the difficult days ahead. Because of your continued efforts to teach compassion and tolerance to our youngest citizens, we retain hope for a world that can live in peace.

As you are asked to face one of the most difficult tasks of your teaching careers, we offer the following tips for helping your students gain a sense of control in the face of this devastating event:

Tips for Helping Children Through Trauma From Horror to Hope

Foster warm, caring relationships with and among children
Help children feel safe in the classroom and school
Provide a structured routine and predictable environment that focuses on the classroom as a community
Listen carefully to individual children's feelings and provide opportunities for them to tell their stories
Try to understand individual children's interpretations of the event
Process your own feelings and anxieties with colleagues, friends, family, and mental health workers
Collaborate with parents, other caregivers, and community agencies
Provide a developmentally appropriate curriculum that engages children, and include healing activities such as play, art, writing, storytelling, and role-playing
Teach conflict resolution, cooperative learning, and respect for diversity
Don't give false reassurance; be honest and focus on your efforts to keep children safe
Limit exposure to media coverage of disaster images.

From Castle, K., Beasley, L., & Skinner, L. (1996). Children of the heartland. Childhood Education, 72(4), 226-231.

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