Roundtable: Conducting Difficult Conversations with Young People
Recorded: Thursday, August 4, 2011
This session explores how to talk to children about tragedy.
Duration: 75 minutes
Panelists included:
- Elaine Donovan
Pentagon Memorial Fund, Director
Lost her husband CDR William H. Donovan in the Pentagon - Mary Fetchet
Voices of September 11th, Founding Director
Mother of Brad Fetchet, 24 - Roberta L. Schomburg, PhD
Associate Dean and Director
Carlow University, School of Education - Hedda Sharapan
Director of Early Childhood Initiatives
The Fred Rogers Company
Discussion Questions:
- When the news broke in May of Osama bin Laden’s death, Yahoo reported that searches for “Who is Osama bin Laden?” skyrocketed. Sixty-six percent of those searches came from 13- to 17-year-olds. (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/may/10/schools-struggle-to-teach-911-to-students-too-youn/print/) How do you explain to students who Osama bin Laden was?
- How do you provide safe, validating spaces for your class to share their thoughts, feelings and concerns when students hold multiple, often contrasting view points?
- Why were the Pentagon and World Trade Centers targeted?
- Are we safer now? Will this happen again?
No comments yet.