Archives
Where were you on Sept. 11? continued
I knew that some of the kids would be going home, and they would be alone until their parents got home from work.
But we were being asked not to tell the students (K-5) anything about what we knew.
The rest of the day passed, on the surface, like any other day, but the teachers knew... you could see it in their drawn faces. They tried to have a normal day for the students... it was just another day of learning for them.
But there was more hugging going on as we passed each other in the halls. Hugs of reassurance, comforting each other, despite the fact that we lived over 700 miles away from where it happened. Distance had nothing to do with feeling safe, or feeling neutral. That day, our hearts stopped beating for a few minutes.
Many of our teachers had family and friends in New York. We did not let the kids see our tears. We did not want to frighten them. No one got homework that night.
The last class of students that came to my room heard what I wanted them to go home with.
There are never any guarantees for safety and security in our world, in our communities, or in our homes. It's all relative, and perceived. Sometimes fantasized.
This was too complicated to explain to the children at that moment. I just didn't want them to be afraid, particularly those who had single parents, or parents who came home very late.
"Today when you go home, some of you will be turning on your television to watch cartoons, or your favorite show," I began.
"No, I'm going to play my video games," one boy said.
"Good, you go right ahead and play them. But if you do turn on your television set, you might find that your favorite show isn't on. It is possible that the news will be on instead. I just want you to know that when you watch the news tonight, please watch it with your parents. If your parents aren't home when you see the news, I want you to remember this one thing: no matter what you hear, you are going to be okay. You are safe in your home. Call your parents, or call your grandparents, or call someone you know who cares about you if you don't understand what you are hearing."
"Oh, I don't watch the news," a girl said.
"Maybe you don't usually, but tonight, you might be watching the news. Something really big happened today." I searched for the words. "If any of you pray at home, tonight would be a good time to pray for our world."
I gave them my home phone number to call me if they wanted to.
That night, no one called me. I was relieved, because it meant they all had someone with them, to answer their questions. To reassure them that everything was going to be okay.
In their little worlds, everything was going to be okay.
bgilmore725 at 9:55:00 PM EDT Blog about this entry |
Add to del.icio.us | 
digg this
-
what a wonderful gift you gave your students -Kelly http://journals.aol.com/pixie
dustnme/Inmyopinion/entries/20 06/09/07/weekend-assignment-12 8/1374 -
Oh Bea (((HUGS)))! You just brought back such memories to me! Your entries has my tears flowing. I was one of those people in my school office to break the news to so many teachers as they came through the door. It was one of the most horrifying, most devastating, most confusing days of my life! Through it all we had to keep ourselves pulled together for all the children.
I think of the way things were handled in the classes of my own children -- You are my hero for the way you handled things that day! Thank God I was a parent that took my children home with me at the end of the day. I can't even imagine a child having to go home alone and turn on the TV on that day.
What an awesome teacher you are! Thank you!
Martha -
Bea, that was amazing. I can't imagine what it must have been like for teachers all over the country- trying to hold on to your emotions like that. What you did was good for them. Thank you. Carolyn http://journals.aol.com/lifes
abench6/Noappologies-Biblicalp erspect/ -
This is a good weekend assignment Bea. Amazing how much detail you can remember. I might do my own entry on this over the weekend.
Kate.
http://journals.aol.co.uk/bobandkate/AnAnalysisofLife/
9/11/06 11:02 PM