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- Death & Grief
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Death & Grief
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Children and adolescents experience many types of losses in their lives—from the ordinary, such as the death of a pet—to the catastrophic, such as the recent tornadoes that have ravaged cities in parts of Alabama.
Because no loss is unimportant, teachers, parents, as well as other trusted adults, must be able to recognize typical experience of loss, understand its impact, and respond with support and care.
Children and adolescents should be comforted in knowing that grief is a healthy response to the loss of a significant person, place, or thing, and it encompasses a broad range of emotions and behaviors. These emotions can be intense, difficult, and often times overwhelming. Therefore, it is paramount to help children understand that what they feel is normal, that they are not strange, weird, or “going crazy.”
Likewise, the school itself has an important role to play in helping both students and faculty members adjust to the death of one of the members of their “school family.” In order to effectively do so, schools may need to seek the assistance of additional counselors, social workers, youth pastors, and other outside agencies to provide support after a school crisis. These persons should be available to talk with students, as well as faculty and staff members, in both group and individual settings.