It's not Curriculum but...

Sometimes (many times) things come up in a classroom that aren't clear curriculum, but they need to be addressed.  This past week had one of these events.  Last Thursday as Moncton was in lockdown mode, I had 9 and 10 year olds to teach 2 hours away who were scared.  They had questions.  I was in a lot of ways very proud of how thoughtful and mature my students were.  As their teacher I couldn't ignore the questions.  At the same time I wondered how much do I say?  What would their parents want them to know?  I thought about my own children and what I would want their teachers to say to them that day.  So I went with facts and empathy.  Whether or not their parents had told them what was going on, the kids knew.  They heard the news on the radio, or, overheard a dramatic student making statements on the recess yard.  While there is no curriculum outcome for dealing with news and tragedy, there are times when news and tragedy are a reality that we face in schools.  It's heartbreaking.  

How we as teachers interact with our students is so important.  We have a responsibilty to be honest and model appropriate response to tragedy.  This aspect of curriculum isn't written down.  It is part of the classroom culture that our students will carry with them.  I know that my students will remember this terrible event.  How they remember it matters.  I feel confident that I handled their fears and questions well.