Washington Elementary School is located near a large military base, and students’ families at Washington Elementary are often deployed overseas. In what ways can Washington Elementary teachers design their curriculum to build students’ resiliency, coping skills, and sense of belonging in the classroom?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Create ways for students and families to share information and communicate with each other and the school, such as a class website or blog.
Make clear the classroom expectations and routines and keep to them.
Develop lessons on emotional competence.
Incorporate ideas from military life across disciplines.
Celebrate children’s experiences as military children, including noting where they’ve lived and where families have served around the nation and world.
Provide opportunities for students to learn from each other and share strategies for dealing with strong emotions (fears), crises, and transitions related to military life.
Provide lessons on dealing with worry and anxiety.
Provide places for children to share their identities as individuals and as a class.
Develop lessons on issues related to military families and include children’s literature related to these issues.