Resources for Teachers and Parents

Resilient Schools: Tips When Talking To Students 

Transitions-Teacher/Parent Resource

Children look to the significant adults in their lives for guidance on how to manage their reactions before significant transitions. Parents, teachers, and other caregivers can help children and youth when they are experiencing impactful changes, by remaining calm and reassuring children that they will be alright. 

Immediate response efforts should: 

• emphasize teaching effective coping strategies 
• engaging in supportive relationships 
• helping children understand, identify and express their thoughts and emotions
• utilize active listening and validate feelings

Possible Reactions of Children and Youth to Impactful Changes

Most children will be able to cope over time with the help of parents and other caring adults. However, some children may be at risk of more extreme reactions. The severity of children’s reactions will depend on their specific risk factors. These include past grief and loss, level of parental support and pre-existing risks, such as a previous traumatic experience or mental illness. 

Responses may differ depending on age but can include:

• Preschoolers—thumb sucking, bedwetting, clinging to parents, sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, fear of the dark, regression in behavior, and withdrawal from friends and routines.
• Elementary Students—irritability, aggressiveness, clinginess, nightmares, school avoidance, poor concentration, and withdrawal from activities and friends.
• Adolescents—sleeping and eating disturbances, agitation, increase in conflicts, physical complaints, delinquent behavior, and poor concentration.

Next Steps Following School Closure, Transitions and Changes: 

Information for Teachers and Parents

• Remain calm and reassuring. Children take their cues from adults, especially young children. Acknowledge the loss and changes, but emphasize the community’s efforts to support students and families during all phases of the transitions.
• Acknowledge and normalize their feelings. Allow children to discuss their feelings and concerns, and address any questions they may have regarding the upcoming changes. 
• Listen and empathize. An empathetic listener is very important. Let them know their reactions are normal and expected. Reinforce that it is okay to have a roller coaster of emotions and feelings.
• Take the lead from your students and/or classroom. Try to do this without suggestions.  They will express what they are feeling and thinking. It will be important to guide the conversation, as it is always important not to cause trauma to those students that may have experienced past difficult situations. Seek support from Mental Health staff for students if needed. 
• Encourage children to talk about school changes. Children need an opportunity to discuss their experiences in a safe, accepting environment. Provide activities that enable children to discuss their experiences. This may include a range of methods (both verbal and nonverbal) and incorporate varying projects (e.g., drawing, stories, audio and video recording).
• Promote positive coping and problem-solving skills. Activities should teach children how to apply problem-solving skills to stressors. Encourage children to develop realistic and positive methods of coping that increase their ability to manage their anxiety and to identify which strategies fit with each situation.
• Emphasize children’s resiliency. Focus on their competencies. Help children identify what they have done in the past that helped them cope when big changes have happened.
• Strengthen children’s friendship and peer support. Children with strong emotional support from others are better able to cope with transitions. Children’s relationships with peers can provide suggestions for how to cope and can help decrease isolation. In some cases, parents may be less available to provide support to their children because of their own feelings or reactions. Activities such as asking children to work cooperatively in small groups can help children strengthen supportive relationships with their peers.
• Take care of your own needs. Take time for yourself and acknowledge your own reactions to the situation as fully as possible. You will be better able to help your children if you are coping well. If you are anxious or upset, your children are more likely to feel the same way. Talk to other adults such as family, friends, faith leaders, or counselors. It is important not to dwell on your fears or anxiety by yourself. Sharing feelings with others often makes people feel more connected and secure. Take care of your physical health. 

Additional Resources: 

• Colorado Crisis Services: 1-844-493-8255 or text TALK to 38255;
• I Matter: six sessions for youth
• Clinica: 303-650-4460 
• Mental health providers at your school including Mental Health Advocates, school counselors, psychologists and social workers