Sunday, September 23, 2012
Natural Disasters
Depending on where you live, you are probably aware of a natural disaster that could happen any day. Living in "tornado alley" causes me as a teacher and mother to be very cautious of active weather. Earlier this year, we suffered a tornado out break in my area. Many people lost their homes, schools were destroyed, and many lives were lost. Only two weeks ago my school held students after school in our tornado areas because a tornado was on the ground only 3 miles from my school. It is so important to educate our students about all natural disasters. These things happen to innocent people every day. The more knowledge one holds the better they will handle themselves in a dangerous situation.
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Hello,
ReplyDeleteWhat might you do in the classroom to help your students consider what they can do to help those affected by such a tragedy? Have you connected your students to community organizations to learn about relief efforts and help students see how they might contribute by working together as a school or community to help during a disaster? Amy
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI would imagine that students at your school living in "tornado alley" are used to these types of drills, having spent their whole life in a community where tornadoes seem to be the "norm".
Students (all people generally) are truly able to empathize with others when experiences are personal. I cannot understand or empathize with someone who has lost their mother because my mother still lives and is a huge part of my life, but I can empathize with the loss of a close family member. Having some experience can make me more compassionate, and this is the same for students.
I bet you can use the children's experience, fears, understanding of tornadoes and the devastation tornadoes leave to help create a classroom/community of helpers in other communities' natural disasters.
Janie