Friday was the 14th anniversary of September 11th. I've always struggled with how to teach my students something that I've experienced and they haven't. My first year of teaching was in 2001, teaching first grade students. I remember getting to school early that morning, turning on my tv while I was preparing, and seeing what was going on. I didn't even know what to think. I had several other teachers in my room that morning as we all watched in horror at what was happening. Soon enough our students showed up and we had to put on our best teacher attitude and face the day. We soon got direction from our superintendent not to talk to the students about what was happening, and if they brought it up, just to assure them we were okay. I don't know what the right thing to do was. None of us had ever faced something like that. We got through that day, and the days following, but with first graders, it was a hard thing to put into words. Perhaps for anyone.
Fast forward fourteen years later. Here were are facing another anniversary, and I have never known how to teach these students about it. They weren't even born yet, and the parents may or may not have talked to them about the significance of this date. Our school did something amazing:
Each classroom went out into the hallway as patriotic music played over the speakers. One of sixth grade classes, who's teacher is retired from the Air Force, walked through the hallway holding the flag, as the rest of us sat with our hands on our heart, listening to the music. The students didn't know why we were doing it because it was soon after they arrived for the morning. But the reverence they felt as that flag passed them, with the teary-eyed teachers, was unforgettable. It united us in a way we needed to.
I then showed the students this video I found on Youtube. It's perfect. We then talked about how we don't give up, and our country didn't give up. We talked about courage, and our nation, and how are lucky to live in a nation that doesn't give up. We talked about our everyday heroes that live in our neighborhoods and help up daily.
The day turned into one of my favorite celebration days. I am grateful for what we have learned from this horrific day, and how important it is to teach our children about this day, so they know how important it is to never give up!
