Learned A Lot! ~ Chapter 12 ~ DN

As many of us have already stated, this book discusses some very touchy subjects (such as death, abuse, neglect, etc.) that would be hard to handle within a 4th or 5th grade classroom.  For instance, what if a student were to ask, "What happens to people when they die?"  I honestly don't know how I would handle this without discussing religion and/or faith.  When I think about it, Bud, Not Buddy revolved around some very difficult topics, as well.  Needless to say, these books have made me reflect on how I would handle situations and discussions like this! How would YOU handle situations like this within your classroom?

Comments

[Brooke]

Drew, I agree. I also learned a lot about how to handle these issues within a classroom. I think if a question about death were to arrive in my classroom, I would try to handle it as generally as possible, without touching on religion and afterlife. I would talk about the more scientific portion of death and then probably alert the students parents of the question. I would feel more comfortable with the parents handeling such an intense topic. They would be able to discuss thier views on afterlife and allow the child to better understand the concept. That was a good question Drew. I feel that it is important to think of issues like this before we are put into the situation!