In the Classroom:
Acknowledging the impact of the most recent student death
Lawrence University is committed to caring for our students’ intellectual,
social, emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being. When a tragedy occurs, faculty members often express the wish to help their students effectively deal with its aftermath. Grief and trauma are cumulative in their effect. This has been a year of tragic and unexpected loss on our campus.This most recent death compounds the impact. While it it is important to re-establish normalcy, it is critical to acknowledge the impact of the latest death on students and the entire campus community. There is no single way to do this. The acknowledgement need not be complicated or time intensive in order to be effective and appreciated.
If you prefer not to provide discussion time during class:
Even if you do not wish to lead an in-classroom discussion, it is
probably best to acknowledge the event. A tragedy can result in students having difficulty concentrating. Failure to mention the event can result in students becoming angry at what they label as a “professor’s insensitivity to what happened.” If you choose not to devote discussion time to the event, you might mention to students that tragedies stir up many emotions, and that you want to remind the
students that there are resources on campus where they might consider
seeking support. On our campus, Counseling Services, located in the Health and Counseling Center, is available for students.
If you wish to provide an opportunity for discussion, here are some ideas to consider:
1. Discussion can be brief
Consider providing an opportunity at the beginning of a class period.
Often, a short time period is more effective than a whole class period.
This serves the purpose of acknowledging that students may be reacting
to a recent event, without pressuring students to speak.
2. Acknowledge the event
Introduce the opportunity by briefly acknowledging the tragic event, and
suggesting that it might be helpful to share personal reactions students
may have.
3. Allow brief discussion of the “facts,” and then shift to emotions
Often the discussion starts with students asking questions about what
actually happened, and “debating” some details. People are more
comfortable discussing “facts,” than feelings, so it’s best to allow
this exchange for a brief period of time. After facts have been
exchanged, you can try to shift the discussion toward sharing personal
and emotional reactions.
4. Invite students to share emotional, personal responses
You might lead off by saying something like: “Often it is helpful to
share your own emotional responses, and hear how others are responding.
It doesn’t change the reality, but it takes away the sense of loneliness
that sometimes accompanies stressful events. I would be grateful for
whatever you are willing to share.”
5. If students begin “debating” the “right way” to react to a tragedy,
it is useful to comment that each person copes with stress in a unique
way, and there is no “right way” to react.
6. Be prepared for blaming
When people are upset, they often look for someone to blame.
Essentially, this is a displacement of anger. It is a way of coping. The
idea is that if someone did something wrong, then future tragedies can
be avoided by doing things “right.” If the discussion gets “stuck” with
blaming, it is might be useful to say “We have been focusing on our
sense of anger and blame, and that’s not unusual. It might be useful to
talk about our fears.”
7. It is normal for people to seek an “explanation” of why the tragedy
occurred. By understanding, we seek to reassure ourselves that a similar event
could be prevented in the future. You might comment that, as
intellectual beings, we always seek to understand. It is very challenging to understand “unthinkable” events By their very natures, tragedies are especially difficult to explain Uncertainty is particularly distressing, but sometimes is inevitable
The faculty member is better off resisting the temptation to make meaning of the event. That is not one of your responsibilities, and would not be helpful.
8. Thank students for sharing, and remind them of resources on campus
In ending the discussion, it is useful to comment that people cope in a
variety of ways. If a student would benefit from a one-on-one
discussion, please encourage them to make use of Counseling Services at x6574.
Some useful links:
The American Psychological Association provides an excellent on-line
pamphlet entitled Managing Traumatic Stress: Tips for Recovering From
Disasters and Other Traumatic Events
http://www.apahelpcenter.org/articles/article.php?id=22
For information on the impact of traumatic stress, the American
Psychological Association provides the online brochure: Mind/Body
Health: The Effects of Traumatic Stress
http://www.apahelpcenter.org/articles/article.php?id=122
Adapted from guidelines written by:
Joan G. Whitney, Ph.D.
Director, University Counseling Center
Villanova University