An educator's guide to understanding how children of varying developmental levels experience grief and loss, and how to support their emotional health.
Most students experience some form of loss in their lives, and the resulting grief can profoundly affect their academic performance, emotional stability, and social interactions. Serving as both a resource and a workbook, this reader-friendly primer helps educators and school counselors understand and respond to the extraordinary challenges that children and adolescents may face when dealing with loss and grief.
Featuring helpful charts, quotes, activities, case studies, handouts, and resources from national organizations, this sourcebook offers strategies to help students affected by divorce; death of a parent, relative, friend, or pet; violence; chronic illness; and more. The author examines grief experiences at different developmental levels and illustrates how to:
Respond appropriately to expressions of grief that are unique to children and adolescentsHelp students handle emotions associated with lossPromote communication and facilitate effective interventionsDetermine when to refer a child to a specialistRespect cultural attitudes toward loss and griefThis resource underscores the importance of understanding how children experience grief and loss and helps educators assist in ways that promote students' emotional health and recovery.