For any of our cohort classmates who are in the Oklahoma area, my prayers and thoughts go out to all of you following the devastating tornado.
This year has been very difficult for students, schools, young people and families. I have been glued to the news, watching the terrible devastation in Oklahoma. I realize all of the situations have been different (from armed gunmen to natural disasters), but I wonder sometimes if students feel like they are safe in school? A tragedy always feels much more heartbreaking when it involves children. Unfortunately, a school was in the direct path of this tornado.
As a teacher of broadcast journalism, we watch live streaming events together on the internet when big news stories break. We watched Sandy Hook... We watched the Boston Marathon bombings... And today we watched the Oklahoma City tornado coverage. We discuss how the events are covered, and we also discuss how the events impact our country and the world. We discuss how journalists hold a great responsibility and must serve their communities. I'm thankful that technology can help unit a country, stay better informed, and allow those who are at a distance to feel the heart of a story to offer support and love.
"The Situation Room." CNN. (2013). Web. Retrieved 20 May 2013. <http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2013/05/20/tsr-wolf-plaza-towers-school.cnn>
It is tough to see bad things happen to a place where students are supposed to feel safe. I hope our kids feel safe at school despite these terrible events. We are doing a lot of good work trying to make these places as safe as can be, but sometimes there's nothing you can do about it. I think it's great that you use events like this as a learning tool. I remember when 9/11 happened and one of my teachers wouldn't let us watch the coverage, it was a life changing event, and sometimes lessons need to change on the fly. Even in these tough times we will make it through with the help of each other.
ReplyDeleteIt is great that you let students watch the news coverage and talk about events like this. As Mike mentioned, I remember watching the 9/11 in all of my classes. It is a day that I will never forget and I'm sure your students will remember sharing that moment with you years from now.
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