COUNSELING

CRISIS INTERVENTION PLAN

Your Role as the Teacher: Leading a Class Discussion

Some Points to Consider

Because you are a role model and you influence your students, you have the privilege and the burden of helping them through a very difficult time. When a student dies, the needs of affected students can be overwhelming. The following are suggestions on how to initially help students through the first day of loss.

All staff will be expected to do a minimum of Part 1 of the Leading a Class Discussion script. The classroom discussion may be as short as 15 minutes or last the entire class period with very vocal students. The important fact is that you are there trying to help. That makes you human and diffuses the possibility of student anger and acting out when staff do not sit down with them face to face.

Acknowledge your feelings about loss so that you can be emotionally available to help your students. Don't hide your tears. By displaying your emotions, you validate theirs.

Be open and honest with feelings. Create an atmosphere of open acceptance that invites questions and fosters students' confidence that the classroom is a safe and supportive place where they can work through their feelings. Avoid euphemisms and speak directly, using the words "dead," "dying," and "death."

We have a diverse group of students from many different schools. You may have a few students that seem deeply effected by a student's death while for others the death has little or no impact. In those cases, it may be best to have the hurting students go to the Counseling Center to be part of the intervention group.

For more specific information, open the Word Documents above.