Resources for Families – Discussing Community Trauma
Hello DVD families,
As our students turn to adults in their lives for answers, it is important that we listen and respond with honesty and empathy. Students may be feeling an array of emotions, including anger, fear, and anxiety and we need to help students recognize and acknowledge their emotions.
On Wednesday, June 3rd, we will be offering an opportunity for our students to participate in community circles, where we can come together to try and process what has happened. Tomorrow, teachers will be posting links to sign-up for circles.
Please encourage students to complete the following survey: Connections Survey: DVD 2020. We would like to know how to best support our students at this time.
Following are tips and resources to support our students:
- Five Tips for Talking with Children about Hate Incidents
- Tips for Talking with Children After a Traumatic Event
- National Association of School Psychologists: Understanding Race and Privilege
- Helping Youth after Community Trauma
Tips for Talking to Your Student(s) About Current Events:
- Listen with your full attention
- Inform through age-appropriate conversations
- Acknowledge feelings
- Watch for signs of distress
- Model self-care
We will continue to share resources and to keep the dialogue going amongst our school community.
Sincerely,
Veronica