As an important part of a crisis management plan, middle schools should have instructions for teachers to help the students best deal with serious problems.
When things begin to settle down after a crisis event, the students will invariably begin asking questions about what happened. Because middle schoolers are changing in so many different psychological and physiological ways, their curiosities can get the best of them. Further, their egocentrism can lead them to believe that they are in danger as well. Middle school teachers will need to reassure them that just because something bad happened to someone else, it does not mean that it will happen to them
To help the middle schoolers deal with a crisis, this is a list of suggestions for teachers:
-If a student needs help, don’t hesitate to send him or her to the counselor.
-Tell the students that they are safe in displaying how they feel. Have a lot of tissues available.
-Do some fun things. Play. Sing. Draw.
-Address rumors immediately. In many cases, they can be used to initiate a discussion.
-Be honest, but not to the point of telling the students too much.
-The standardized tests and unit exams can wait – cut them some time to deal with the crisis.
-Conduct large and small group discussions about dealing with stress.
-Supply as much as possible correct information to the students.
-If the crisis event was a suicide, a special protocol needs to be established. Get help!
And, always remember that the distressing pain the students feel takes a long while to heal, and that like an emotional time-bomb sometimes some students might not display a distressed reaction until much later and in a situation that is completely unrelated to the current crisis. As teachers and parents, be ready!
