HGSE News & Views asked members of the faculty at the Harvard Graduate School of Education to consider the following questions, which parents, educators, and policymakers have been confronted with in the wake of the events of September 11:

• What delayed issues will children face as a result of the terrorist attacks, and how can parents and teachers respond?
• How can teachers build thoughtful, age-appropriate discussions about the events into existing curricula?
• What is the appropriate balance between preparing students for high-stakes tests and covering necessary curricular ground, and providing space to respond to world events?
• What is the appropriate institutional response for schools to take to the events of September 11?

What delayed issues will children face as a result of the terrorist attacks, and how can parents and teachers respond?

Milli Pierce, director of the Principals' Center Children will fear being separated from their parents. They might believe if their parents leave them they will not return. Suddenly, parents may find their children clinging and not wanting to go to school. Children may also believe that everyone who looks different is someone that should be feared. The school can mediate by creating a family-like atmosphere and holding discussions reinforcing a belief that people who appear to be different or speak in a different language are not terrible people. Terrorists are terrible people. Making time for sharing feelings and discussing events of the day is one way to help kids make sense of the world. Meeting time permits children to listen to their classmates and talk about their feelings in a place where the teacher can facilitate and observe stress and discomfort. The school cannot solve all problems but teachers can be there to refer students for counseling or to alert parents to their child's stress and fear. Teachers who have trusting relationships with students and parents can be a persuasive interruption in the fearful child's worldview.  —Milli Pierce

Katherine Boles, lecturer on education A week after the events, our little boy, who is in the second grade, was very frightened. We have very carefully shielded him from the TV and radio news and from newspapers, but he feels the tension and sadness among grownups and other children. He has cried very easily these last few days. We are doing a lot of reassuring, taking things slowly, giving him lots of special attention and care. I'm sure other children are responding in exactly the same way. Our daughter, who just started college in Canada, has been devastated to be out of the country. She has cried a lot and calls every day. Our role has just been to tell her everything's okay and letting her know that we understand how sad she feels. We're doing a lot of listening.  —Katherine Boles

Fernando Reimers, director of the International Education Policy Program Students, parents and teachers are coming to terms with the realization that we need to prepare for the future, to go on with our lives, even as we recognize the uncertainties and the fear that the attacks and the ensuing conflict create for all of us. It may be difficult for students and others to think about the future, to understand the importance of sustained effort in activities with long-term consequences in the midst of fear and uncertainty. Teaching has always been about helping students bridge the gap between present and future, about helping to construct the future. Now as ever teachers are called to help all the children understand that they will have a future and that they are in charge.   —Fernando Reimers

Bigelow Professor Kurt Fischer, director of the Mind, Brain, and Education concentration Children are going to feel less secure in general. Many children who don't normally ask to sleep with their parents started exhibiting that behavior after September 11. We should reinforce with our children and with ourselves that we are good people and that we are safe. If we don't do that, then we become much more cautious, much less creative, and much less likely to explore. One thing parents can do is try to reestablish that sense of security with children by telling them, "We're here to protect you." One of the worst things to do is to not talk about it. Parents want to protect their children, but at the same time, they have to address and confront these issues in a way that their children can understand.  —Kurt Fischer

Thomas Professor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco, Harvard Immigration Projects co-director This attack, and what is to follow, arguably will be the defining event for this generation of children. Anxiety, anger, depression, delayed mourning and fear will shape their responses and feeling about the attack for some time. Parents and teachers should be prepared for this and should be patient.   —Marcelo Suárez-Orozco

How can teachers build thoughtful, age-appropriate discussions about the events into existing curricula?

Dimon Professor Pedro Noguera Students need help processing what has happened. This means not just explaining what happened but why. This might involve some discussion of the United States' relationship with the Taliban in Afghanistan (which was our former ally), as well as some discussion of Islam and how various conflicts in the Middle East serve as fuel for fanaticism. Within the existing curricula world history courses can provide a good background on the history of the Middle East, world religions, and the cultural norms and mores of Middle Eastern peoples.  —Pedro Noguera

Hobbs Professor Howard Gardner It would be wrong for any school to proceed as if nothing has happened. This "ostrich" approach was tried in past generations and it has never worked. If kids aren't engaged by adults, they simply invent their own scenarios and explanations. However, discussions need to be carried out thoughtfully and by individuals who are well informed about the events of September 11, Islam, etc., and who know how to deal with children who may be traumatized. It is better for educators to get help with this than to "wing it" and better for educators to work together than to proceed solo.  —Howard Gardner

Fernando Reimers, director of the International Education Policy Program Teachers may want to address in the curriculum three areas: 1) Developing skills for peaceful conflict resolution among students. One of the strengths of American democracy is the commitment to reasoning, argumentation and democratic processes as a way to organize collective action. This is in contrast with the way in which other regimes make choices. We need to continue investing in the capacity of our children to exercise responsible freedom; 2) Integrating in the curriculum opportunities to explore the ways in which the cultural diversity of American society, or each and all of our communities, is one of our sources of strength; 3) Focusing more attention on social studies, geography and foreign-languages. There are many opportunities to prepare our children for responsible global leadership and these attacks should be a call to more engagement with the world, not to withdrawal.  —Fernando Reimers

Bigelow Professor Kurt Fischer, director of the Mind, Brain, and Education concentration Teachers have to address the situation directly. For older kids-middle school or on-teachers could connect the events to social studies, literature, psychology. For little kids, it's harder to connect these events to what they're learning in school. You want to talk about their concerns and safety and address emotions and fears directly.  —Kurt Fischer

Thomas Professor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco, Harvard Immigration Projects co-director Teachers need to discuss what is happening because children are getting information from so many sources, some of which are inaccurate. The most critical thing is to "contain" children's terrible anxieties, fears, and concerns by reinforcing that they are safe and separating out rational from irrational fears.  —Marcelo Suárez-Orozco

What is the appropriate balance between preparing students for high-stakes tests and covering necessary curricular ground, and providing space to respond to world events?

Katherine Boles, lecturer on education Teachers have to move more slowly and recognize how traumatized children are feeling. For instance, our daughter, who just started college in Canada, says there has very little mention of the events in class since the initial shock. This has been very bad for her, and she is not as clearly focused on her work. In only one class (taught by a German woman who grew up during WWII) has there been sustained discussion of the events and recognition of the horror. I think there's a message here for teachers about the need to recognize the horror, refer to the events appropriately during class, recognize people's shock, and then move on to the work of the class.  —Katherine Boles

Fernando Reimers, director of the International Education Policy Program It is ever more important to prepare all our children from excellence and global leadership. Efforts that simultaneously raise what we expect our students to learn while providing concentrated resources and attention to those schools that most need it are essential. The ability of our schools to teach our children well and leave no one behind should be paramount in the ongoing definition of the sources of strength of America.  —Fernando Reimers

Milli Pierce, director of the Principals' Center Sometimes the student must be allowed to set the curriculum. Fear and trepidation are not fertile ground for learning. Prior to working on the set curriculum, there has to be time for building a classroom community. Life in school must be valued for life preparation as well as academic preparation.  —Milli Pierce

Dimon Professor Pedro Noguera Events like these should force us to pause from business as usual, including preparation for state-mandated tests. Time to reflect, cry, process our anger and our fears is an essential part of coming to terms with this tragedy.  —Pedro Noguera

What is the appropriate institutional response for schools to take to the events of September 11?

Carola Suárez-Orozco, Harvard Immigration Projects co-director A particular concern is the xenophobic tendency to generalize from these terrorists to all "Others" that even vaguely resemble them. Misinformed adults as well as children all too often make these leaps in logic. Educators should be keenly aware of these tendencies and create a space within the classroom to discuss these tendencies and use their skills as educators to dispel misconceptions. They must also actively intervene when they witness children taunting their classmates and work to create a climate of complete tolerance.  —Carola Suárez-Orozco

Robert Peterkin, Urban Superintendents Program director Institutions should focus on the response of the children. They will be scared, uninformed, or improperly informed and will look to adults for explanation and comfort. Be honest, direct, and age-appropriate. Harvard Graduate School of Education students out in the schools have indicated that many of the children thought what they saw on TV was a movie. As time goes by, and they realize that a horror that they really couldn't have imagined is real, there may be delayed reactions such as crying or inappropriate behavior such as laughter. Finally, answer all questions truthfully, acknowledge your own sadness and confusion, but reinforce to students that they are safe. Then, repeat with adults. Caregivers and teachers should be in touch and be on the same page as to the emotional status of the children.  —Robert Peterkin

Milli Pierce, director of the Principals' Center September 11 was a cataclysmic experience for us all. If we expect children to learn school must embody a safe place. Principals and teachers alike must rise to the heroic feat of providing atmospheric normalcy and calm. Forums where children, parents and colleagues can discuss their feelings, cry and feel respected prevent moments of panic, insecurity and isolation. Schools have always been community-learning centers. Now they may be called upon to fulfill a broader function—as unifier of the neighborhood and its inhabitants. Schools will be places where people can come together when they feel apprehensive, fearful, alienated, hopeless. Schools can develop a pedagogy of hope.  —Milli Pierce

Fernando Reimers, director of the International Education Policy Program Schools need to take up three challenges emerging from the brutal attacks of September 11: 1) To continue preparing all of our children for excellence and for global leadership during trying times, in spite of the fear and of the economic uncertainties 2) To play a more active role building communities, bringing together children, teachers and parents in school events that remind all of our many blessings and strengths as we go on constructing the future, and 3) To help teachers, students and parents make sense of the new challenges facing all of us after these attacks.  —Fernando Reimers