Main Points of this section:

• Calm children and let them know that they are safe.
• Be honest with them about what it going on while keeping age appropriate language and content in mind.
• Continue school routines while always being open to conversation or questions about the current crisis.
• There are many resources available that will help teachers anticipate how their students may react. Utilize these resources!

• This is a comprehensive site that gives insight to common reactions seen in children after a traumatic situation. There is additional information on this site that will inform teachers and parents of ways they can help students cope.

• The University of Texas at Austin addresses ways to help students cope with emotional stress. Included in this link are ways of identifying students that are suffering from major emotional stress and specific ideas of how to assist them in overcoming it.

• The National Association of School Psychologists focuses on the long term emotional effects that may be caused after a natural disaster. There are suggested issues that pertain individually to each specific form of natural disaster.

• This is a powerful resource because it addresses questions that children may have according to grade brackets. There are detailed explanations and suggestions of how to answer these questions and help children cope.

• These tales provide hope and inspiration for children. Several stories are compiled on this site that foster ideas of peace and optimism.