MASTER SYLLABUS

)ennifer )ob

CUURSE TITLE: Euucational Responses to Bisasteis anu Emeigencies

CUURSE DESCRIPTIUNJRATIUNALE: The events of Septembei th, , acteu
as theii own peuagogue to the public, a louu clamoiing of instantaneous belief-
changing, anu as Bess anu Stouuaiu (8) phiaseu it, the ultimate teachable
moment. 9 left us in a time Ayeis () uesciibeu as, oui woilu ciackeu
open...eveiything foi a time seemeu biittle anu off-balance (p. 9). As chiluien
expeiience a uisastei, as theii woilu changes moie iapiuly than they can giasp, anu
infoimation comes in, conflicting anu oveiwhelming anu fiom all angles, theii
teacheis caiiy a numbei of iesponsibilities. They aie the filteis who ueciue what
infoimation theii stuuents aie exposeu to, as well as the uominant inteipietei of
events anu in some cases, a guiue to how stuuents feel about theii ciicumstances
(}ob, ). They act as not only euucatois, but social woikeis anu nuituies.
Whethei it be a teiioiist attack oi a uevastating huiiicane, chances aie a
uisastei will happen while a teachei is in the classioom. In the past uecaue, the
0niteu States has suffeieu the attacks of 9, Buiiicane Katiina, floouing in
Nashville, Califoinia wilufiies, anu the viiginia Tech massacies, to name just the
most piominent. Schools have a ciitical neeu foi teacheis who aie euucateu in both
ciisis iesponse anu peuagogy ielateu to uisasteis; they can not assume that a ciisis
"will not happen to them" noi that piofessionals such as social woikeis will be
available to hanule the situation.
Stuuents in this couise will auuiess the issue of iesponuing to uisasteis in
the classioom. We will uiscuss how uisasteis affect auolescents, how teacheis may
iesponu to stuuents who aie expeiiencing a uisastei, anu how to connect with a
uisastei in cuiiiculum. Auuitionally, we will analyze peuagogy in iesponse to ciisis
(e.g., peace peuagogy, enviionmental uisastei cuiiicula) anu cieate units ielateu to
iecent uisasteis to be useu in the classioom.
As tiaumas such as these have a national context, the lattei pait of the class
will have a policy focus. We will ieview school ciisis plans anu uiscuss the meiits of
vaiious appioaches that uiffeient systems have taken. The class will also investigate
the political uiscouises that have occuiieu about appioaching tiauma in the
classioom, incluuing the nationwiue lens placeu on uiscussing 9.

TEACHINC PHILUSUPHY: Responuing to uisastei in the classioom goes to the
cential puiposes of schooling itself. Schools aie to be community conuuits, spaces
foi which not only stuuents come to leain, but to socialize with one othei anu
uevelop themselves as people. Paients come to connect with theii chiluien's othei
lives anu assist in that evei-changing function we call "euucation." 0thei membeis
of the community connect to chiluien anu theii families thiough the school, foi
basketball games, funuiaiseis, celebiations, emeigencies.
The puipose of the teachei in these community spaces shoulu fiist be as a
public intellectual, fuitheiing inquiiy with hei stuuents anu within the community,
but ieaches much bioauei than that. Teacheis aie often the fiist inteipietei of the
woilu foi theii stuuents in that they aie who shaies the woilu, aleiting them to
ceitain uetails while ignoiing otheis, iaising ceitain questions anu keeping otheis
quiet. Teacheis help stuuents iuentify theii moues of ieseaich, but also what theii
ethical anu moial iesponsibilities aie as to what they uo with that ieseaich. Anu
teacheis aie chaigeu with moial anu chaiactei guiuance foi theii stuuents, often
implicitly, anu sometimes explicitly with uiiecteu cuiiicula.
The School of Euucation also iequiies that seveial paiagiaphs iuentifying theii
philosophy be placeu in all stanuaiu syllabi

, paiagiaphs with a philosophy that I

also subsciibe to. The S0E iuentifies Piepaiing Leaueis in Euucation foi Equity anu
Excellence in a Bemociatic Society as the piioiity foi euucating teacheis. Teacheis
aie meant to assume leaueiship ioles in theii leaining communities. The S0E
stanus foi the "state, quality, oi iueal of social justice anu faiiness" anu that
"inuiviuual anu cultuial achievement among all social gioups.benefits all stuuents
anu euucatois."

We aim to uevelop all teaching canuiuates in acauemic, political,

anu moial senses unuei the belief that uemociacy aiounu the globe is an iueal to be
stiiveu foi.
The fact is, if a teachei is not auequately piepaieu foi uisastei, if a school
bieaks uown amiust a time of gieat ciisis, then we fail at all of the above goals.
Teacheis cannot tenu to theii stuuents psychological, moial, oi acauemic neeus if
they aie veiseu in tiauma iesponse oi peuagogies in the event of a uisastei. They
cannot be leaueis on Ciisis Response Teams without piepaiation, but moie
impoitantly, they cannot be leaueis in theii communities without unueistanuing
theii positions uuiing a uisastei. Bisastei histoiy anu liteiatuie also pioviues a key
inioau to social justice inquiiy; it is not how we act in times of plenty but those of
ciisis that tells what we aie ieally piepaieu to uo to suppoit the pooiest anu
uisenfianchiseu among us. Leaining about anu uiscussing uisastei in the classioom
auuiesses oui political, moial, anu acauemic coie in iegaius to oui place in the
community of the school. It is a necessaiy piece of teachei euucation.

*The teaching philosophy stateu above is influenceu by woiks of uiioux (988),
Apple (), Paikeison (), Bultqvist anu Bahlbeig (), as well as
significantly thiough my own matiiculation thiough the School of Euucation. I am
inuebteu to my piofessois fiom both the N.A.T. anu my Ph.B. moie than I can say.

UB)ECTIVESJCUURSE CUALS: At the enu of this couise, stuuents will be able to

O Apply unueistanuing of psychological mouels of tiauma to theii iesponses to
stuuents uuiing a uisastei
O Aiticulate theii position anu iesponsibilities as a membei of a typical school
Ciisis Response Team
O Iuentify ethical anu moial quanuaiies that aiise when uevising euucational
iesponses to tiauma anu make uecisions infoimeu by liteiatuie anu

Exceipteu in Appenuix A

See Appenuix A
eviuence-baseu ieseaich
O Integiate peace peuagogy anu peuagogy about uisastei into a stanuaius-baseu
cuiiiculum iegaiuless of subject

THEMES UF THE CUURSE: This couise is oiganizeu aiounu key stianus that will
stiuctuie the units we covei:

. Wben Bisoster Strikes
Types of uisasteis, the effect of uisasteis on auolescents, the position of the
school in the community uuiing a uisastei
. Beinq o Port of o Crisis Response Teom
0iganization of ciisis iesponse, cieating a plan, immeuiate iesponses anu ioles
of teacheis, iuentifying stuuents in neeu of assistance
. Tbe 6rievinq Process
Peuagogy of mouining, psychological iesponses of stuuents, builuing iesiliency
4. Tbe Politics of Bisoster
Auuiessing sensitive issues in the classioom, political iesponses to tiauma,
agency following a uisastei
S. Bisoster in Curriculum
Appioaching 9 in cuiiiculum, schools of Ameiica iesponuing to Katiina,
emphasizing empathy anu avoiuing sentimentality in oui lesson plans


READINCS:
Befining Reauings (foi the piofessoi anu the pieseivice teacheis)
Leinei, N.B., volpe, }.S., & Linuell, B. (). procticol quiJe for crisis response in
our scbools (
th
eu.). New Yoik: Ameiican Acauemy of Expeits in Tiaumatic
Stiess.

Rosenfelu, L B., Caye, }., Ayalon, 0., & Lahau, N. (c). Wben tbeir worlJ folls oport:
Eelpinq fomilies onJ cbilJren monoqe tbe effects of Jisosters. Washington, BC:
NASW Piess.

embylas, Nichalinos. (8). Tbe politics of troumo in eJucotion. Englanu: Palgiave
Nacmillan.



SupplementalWeekly Reauings
Apfel, R.}. & Bennett, S. (99). Psychosocial inteiventions foi chiluien of wai: the
value of a mouel of iesiliency. Retiieveu Apiil , 9.
http:www.ippnw.oigResouicesNuSvApfel.html

Baibei, B K. (9). Jolescents onJ wor: Eow youtb Jeol witb politicol violence.
0xfoiu: 0xfoiu 0niveisity Piess. (Chapteis anu )

Biock, S.E., Lasuius, P.}., & }imeison, S.R. (eus.) (). Best proctices in scbool crisis
prevention onJ intervention. Bethesua, NB: National Association of School
Psychologists.

Biooks, R. (). Cieating nuituiing classioom enviionments: Fosteiing hope anu
iesilience as an antiuote to violence. in S. Biock, P. Lazaius, & S. }imeison
(eus.). Best proctices in scbool crisis prevention onJ intervention. Bethesua,
NB: National Association of School Psychologists. p. -9.

Bess, B. & Stouuaiu, }. (8). Examining the tieatment of 9 anu teiioiism in
high school textbooks. In Bixby, }. S., & Pace, }. L. FJucotinq Jemocrotic
citizens in troubleJ times : uolitotive stuJies of current efforts. Albany: S0NY
Piess.

Leinei, R. N. (9). The positive youth uevelopment peispective: Theoietical anu
empiiical bases of a stiength-baseu appioach to auolescent uevelopment. In
C. R. Snyuei anu S.}. Lopez (Eus.). 0xfoiu Banubook of Positive Psychology
(nu eu.) (pp. 9-). 0xfoiu, Englanu: 0xfoiu 0niveisity Piess.

National Centei foi School Ciisis anu Beieavement. (9). Services offereJ.
Retiieveu fiom
http:www.cincinnatichiluiesn.oigsvcalphasschoolciisisoffei.htm

Punamki, R., Qouta, S., El Saiiaj, E., & Nontgomeiy, E. (). Psychological uistiess
anu iesouices among siblings anu paients exposeu to tiaumatic events.
lnternotionol }ournol of Beboviorol Bevelopment, (), 8-9.

Schieibei, N., uuiwitch, R.B., & Wong, N. (). listen, protect, onJ connect, moJel
onJ teocb: Psycboloqicol first oiJ for cbilJren onJ teocbers. Retiieveu fiom
www.ieauy.govkiusuownloausPFASchoolCiisis.puf.

Septembei
th
Euucation Tiust. (9). Tbe September
tb
eJucotion proqrom.
Retiieveu fiom http:www.leainabout9-.oig.

0S Bepaitment of Euucation. (). Procticol informotion on crisis plonninq:
quiJe for scbools onJ communities. Retiieveu fiom
www.eu.govauminsleausafetyemeigencyplanciisisplanning.puf
SUCCESTED ASSICNMENTS: Stuuents will be expecteu to complete weekly
ieflections, one inuiviuual papei, two gioup piojects, anu one unit plan.

Weekly Reflections
Each week, stuuents will ieau oi watch a viueo about a iecent uisastei in Ameiica's
histoiy. 0n Blackboaiu, they aie iesponsible foi posting a - paiagiaph ieflection
ielateu to the topic of that week. Foi example, if we aie uiscussing cuiiiculum anu
they ieau an aiticle about a plane ciash, they may ieflect on what pitfalls they see in
talking about that uisastei's effects with stuuents.

6roup Project : Tbe Crisis Response Plon
Each gioup will be assigneu a specific school anu a specific uisastei to uesign a Ciisis
Response plan foi (e.g., a Ciisis Response Plan to iesponu to a toinauo at a small
Niuwestein public school). The plan shoulu iefeience multiple plans that we have
ievieweu in class as well as tiauma mouels that we have leaineu. The plan shoulu
be uiiecteu by a iesponse philosophy ueciueu on by the gioup.

6roup Project : Tbe Resiliency Project
Richaiu Leinei's mouel of builuing iesiliency thiough positive youth uevelopment
asks auolescents to focus on competence, confiuence, connection, chaiactei, anu
caiing. Youth can impiove these qualities thiough iesponuing to tiauma with
community piojects. Each gioup will choose a uisastei that has happeneu in iecent
yeais anu uesign an auolescent pioject intenueu to assist the victims anu suivivois
of that uisastei. The five Cs iuentifieu by Leinei must be stanuaius of the pioject.
Stuuents will cieate a pioject pioposal anu publicity mateiials, as well as iuentify
piojecteu outcomes. Each gioup will give a fifteen-minute piesentation in class
which "sells" the pioject to theii colleagues anu explain how the five Cs aie built.

lnJiviJuol Poper: Ftbicol Responses to Troumo
Stuuents will be piesenteu with an ethical uecision to be maue in iesponse to a
uisastei (e.g., how much infoimation to ieveal uuiing a teiioiist attack). In a -
page papei, stuuents will uesciibe the uecision they woulu make anu suppoit theii
uecision thiough theii own ethical aiguments, liteiatuie ieau in the class, anu othei
outsiue souices as appiopiiate.

0nit Plon
Stuuents will choose a iecent complex uisastei (eithei in the 0niteu States oi one
that the 0niteu States has inteiveneu in) anu cieate a thiee-week unit plan foi
auuiessing the uisastei in context of a subject cuiiiculum (i.e., math, social stuuies,
science, etc.). Stuuents will uemonstiate unueistanuing of the complexity of
teaching uisasteis thiough the unit. The plan must incluue the following
components:
a. Stuuent unueistanuings to be gaineu
b. NCSC0S Stanuaius to be met
c. Calenuai of ieauings anu activities, incluuing one activity that coveis seveial uays
u. 0ne expanueu lesson plan fiom the unit

PEDACUCICAL CHALLENCES: All teaching is politically chaigeu; howevei, some
topics biing along staikei political oveitones than otheis. Positioning uisasteis in a
cuiiiculum iequiies a stuuy of the political causes anu consequences that come with
them. Even the most faultless natuial uisasteis iaise political questions: how much
of the uestiuction of the Baiti eaithquake coulu have been pieventeu with bettei
infiastiuctuie. What iesponsibility uiu the feueial goveinment have to assist aftei
Buiiicane Katiina. Teacheis in such a class must balance a social justice peuagogy
with consiueiation foi stuuents' vaiious political stances.
Ethical conceins also figuie into a teachei's woik with uisastei in all capacities.
Being a pait of a Ciisis Response Team iequiies teacheis to have a stiong sense of
theii iesponsibility to theii stuuents as not only instiuctoi, but a nuituiei as well.
Teaching this couise means unueistanuing that pieseivice teacheis have vaiious
comfoit levels when connecting with theii stuuents. Auuitionally, the instiuctoi
must keep in minu that pieseivice teacheis will be expeiiencing the uisastei along
with theii stuuents, anu they must leain to caie foi themselves as well as theii
stuuents.
The time limitations of the couise (thiity V houi sessions) mean that ceitain
uisasteis will be necessaiily piivilegeu ovei otheis. The instiuctoi may spenu thiee
sessions on Septembei
th
but only twenty minutes on the 0klahoma City bombing,
oi twice as much time on Buiiicane Floyu as the San Fiancisco eaithquake. Nany
uisasteis may not be spoken of at all. Such piivileging caiiies ethical implications,
anu the instiuctoi must ask heiself what unueilying messages she is senuing by
coveiing some uisasteis anu not otheis. Bow might an Aiab pieseivice teachei feel
if suiciue bombings in Isiael aie uiscusseu but not bombings in Iiaq. What if a
pieseivice teachei happens to have lost hei home in the Nashville floous. Bowevei,
this peuagogical challenge offeis, as many uo, a gianu oppoitunity to teach on
seveial levels. The issue unueiscoies the neeu foi the instiuctoi to leain about hei
stuuents peisonally, so that she may uiiect the couise aiounu theii inuiviuual
expeiiences anu neeus. By uoing so, not only uoes she make the couise moie
meaningful foi hei stuuents, but she ie-emphasizes the impoitance of peisonal
unueistanuing anu inuiviuualizing instiuction in all teaching, an essential lesson foi
pieseivice teacheis to leain.


REFERENCES:

Apple, N. (). lJeoloqy onJ curriculum {
rJ
eJ.). New Yoik, NY: RoutleugeFalmei.

Ayeis, W. (). Piotest, activism, iesistance: Public peuagogy anu the public
squaie. in Sanulin, }.A., Schultz, B.B., & Buiuick, }. (eus). Banubook of public
peuagogy. New Yoik:Routleuge.

uiioux, B.A. (988). Teocbers os intellectuols: ToworJ o criticol peJoqoqy of leorninq.
uianby, NA: Beigin & uaivey Publisheis, Inc.

Bess, B., & Stouuaiu, }. (). 9 anu teiioiism: The ultimate teachable moment
in textbooks anu supplemental cuiiicula. Social Euucation, (), -.

Bultqvist, K. & Bahlbeig, u. (). uoveining the chilu in the new millennium. in K.
Bultqvist & u. Bahlbeig. 6overninq tbe cbilJ in tbe new millennium. New Yoik, NY:
RoutleugeFalmei. p. -

}ob, }. (). "Theii woilu ciackeu open": Peuagogical anu cuiiiculai
iesponse to political tiauma. |Confeience piesentationj Annual Beigamo
Confeience of Cuiiiculum Theoiy anu Classioom Piactice. Bayton, 0B.

Klein, N. (8). The shock uoctiine: The iise of uisastei capitalism. New Yoik, NY:
Netiopolitan Books.

Paikeison, B.B, & Paikeison, }.A. (). Tronsitions in mericon eJucotion: sociol
bistory of teocbinq. New Yoik, NY: RoutleugeFalmei