 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
Back
|
Teachers turn tragedy into lessons
© St. Petersburg Times, Eleven-year-old Brooke Batten stood, bent her head and began reading aloud an essay titled "My Heroes," the homework lesson from the night before. "My heroes are the survivors that were in Manhattan, New York and Arlington, Va., when the terrorists attacked," she read. "They are my heroes because they showed such caring and concern for others around them." This assignment for John Piazza's language arts class at Orange Grove Middle School in East Tampa is just one example of how teachers around the Tampa Bay area are folding last week's terrorist attacks into the curriculum. From phonics lessons centered on the song God Bless the U.S.A. to tough explanations about suicide bombers, educators are moving beyond the initial shock and words of comfort that marked the first days after last week's terrorist attacks. Now makeshift lessons about patriotism, politics and geography are rising from the rubble as educators do what they do best: teach. Elementary school children are learning about citizenship and the American flag, while middle and high school students discuss terrorism, economics and religion. On Wednesday, Melissa S. Hill's third-graders at Brooker Creek Elementary School in Tarpon Springs wrote about the powers they would want if they were superheroes. Hill didn't mention the attacks, but one student said he would want "extrasonic eyes so I could look at airplanes."
"So much of their writing goes to the event, even when I don't make it that way," said Hill, who has been teaching for about 14 years. "It's all I can think about. I'm sure as children, it's all they can think about too." Many teachers said they must address the tragedy because their students have been inundated by news coverage and grown-up conversations. Most educators, however, say the event does not dominate all of their class time. They are trying to instill a sense of normalcy and routine for the children. "It's not something we can hide," said Bonnie Bullard, principal of Yates Elementary in Tampa. "That was a day we'd like to shelter from our children. But we can't. They have to live through this. And we have to be honest with them, but we don't have to frighten them." While some teachers found themselves trying to answer the unanswerable, many say it is their job to help children understand the tragedy and put it in historical context. That's especially true for history, social studies and economics teachers. Sharon Smith, a history teacher at Zephyrhills High School in Pasco County, quickly pulled together a three-day lesson on terrorism. She also discussed with her students the history of Afghanistan and its 10-year war with the Soviet Union. She talked about how the war between the former Soviet Union and Afghanistan became part of the Cold War between the United States and the USSR. She noted how much of the money and arms sent by the United States made it into militant hands. "That made them a little angry," Smith said. "The students thought that we should've done a better job of tracking the money." Wallace Witham, who teaches global studies at St. Petersburg High School in the International Baccalaureate program, said the most common question he has heard from students has been, "What are terrorists?" "All you guys in news outlets use it all the time," said Witham, 62. "Try to define it. It's not easy when you're in a classroom and don't have the escape of a limitation of time." Teachers have culled resources from the Internet, books and news agencies, sometimes adjusting for the age of their students. To help, the National Council for the Social Studies posted lesson plans on its Web site. Many teachers said subjects that usually put students to sleep, such as current events and international relations, receive more interest now. Russell Drummond, a social studies teacher at Hernando High school in Brooksville, said his lectures on the Arab-Israeli conflict and tensions in the Middle East drew more attention than ever. "They are picking up more," he said. "I have a lot of additive information that I can relate to today." Some teachers have struggled with what is and isn't appropriate to discuss. James Duran, a history and geography teacher at Davidsen Middle School in Tampa, said he avoids few subjects with his students. "I really feel a responsibility to make students aware of our government, society and culture, to make them functioning citizens," he said. "I always tell my students what's going on now is setting the stage for what they will deal with later in life. Some of these kids may end up being at the forefront of this struggle." Duran's discussions have ranged from background on the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians to the Bill of Rights and its protections against illegal searches and seizures. The day after the attacks, Duran asked his class not to repeat the Pledge of Allegiance by rote, but to pay special attention to the words. "When they took time to think about it, they said it clearly, loudly," said Duran, 30. "It kind of made me feel good." Back at Tampa's Orange Grove Middle School, geography and history teacher Debra Kremp dusted off her knowledge of World War II and drew comparisons between the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the recent terrorism. "There was utter disbelief both times," she said. "There was shock both times. We also read about the Japanese-Americans and what happened to them." "They were stored someplace," said seventh-grader Mikayla Stanley. And the lesson learned? "That we shouldn't hurt Arabic people," replied 12-year-old Amanda Goss. "They're American citizens. They came here for freedom." - Times staff writers Kent Fischer, Robert King and Kelly Ryan contributed to this report.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
Headlines From the Times local news desks Mary Jo Melone |
