What Hurricane Sandy is Teaching Us About Students Under Stress
This week as the East Coast cleans up after Hurricane Sandy, we are hearing from teachers how they are responding to the trauma and stress their students are bringing to class.
From Brooklyn Heights Montessori teacher Launa Schweizer, we learn how her students are coping.
From Brooklyn Heights Montessori teacher Launa Schweizer, we learn how her students are coping.
As the day wore on, I discovered that the children who had spent the week without power, who were displaced by rising water, or who had seen significant property damage, had little ability to do schoolwork. They craved the comfort only their friends could provide, but actual focused learning was impossible. They arrived without their homework, despite having been out of school for a full week. Despite my repeated reminders, they kept getting up and wandering around the classroom.
I'll admit it: my patience and enthusiasm began to fray.
Until I realized: those children didn't need my lessons. Not right away. Instead, they needed school