In this video, we are going to talk about teaching students how to deal with grief.

A death of a loved one or a friend is an experience that student's face at any age. While each student may experience grief differently, teachers and school counselors will be called upon to support these students during this difficult time. A child's developmental level, cultural beliefs, personal characteristics, family situations, and previous experiences are all aspects that could impact a child's reaction to death.

There are various strategies that can be helpful in supporting grieving students. Some common reactions to grief to look for include decreased appetite, difficulty sleeping, decreased ability to concentrate, increased sadness, and social withdrawal.

Some students may start to lose interest in activities they once in void or lack motivation to do simple tasks.

Some students may appear angry at the deceased for leaving them or express anger toward others as a reaction to laws.

Middle and high school students may engage in high risk behaviors or substance abuse. Students may also appear emotional numb or experience suicidal thoughts. When you're talking to students about death, use language that is straightforward.

Do not be afraid to use words such as "death", "dying", or "die" during conversations—this helps to avoid confusion in opens the door to further conversations.

Clearing up myths about death and dying can be helpful for students. We letting them know that death is not contagious and that no one is to blame.

Using active listening and patience are two key components to supporting students who are grieving. Remaining nonjudgmental while acknowledging and validating the student's feelings can be helpful. Avoid making assumptions and imposing your own belief on a student. Assure the student that they have a right to feel any emotion during the grieving process and that all people grieve in different ways.

Normalize the student's feelings by letting them know common emotions people experience after losing a loved one or a friend. You can ask them questions like, "what has this been like for you?", "How have you been doing?", "Do you need anything?", "Do you want to talk about what happened?", or "Do you wanna share any stories about the person who died?"

Do not say things like "be strong," "toughen up," "It'll get better. I know exactly what you're going through," "Someone I know died before, you'll get over it," "You must be so angry. You must be so sad," "They lived a long life, "Or you should remember all of the good things you have."

Some students may not wanna process grief by talking, allowing students to process grief in their own way is important.

Giving them space to have somewhere to go when they need space can be helpful, as well as continue with a normal school or classroom routine.

Other ways to process grief include drawing pictures, writing, or journaling, listening to music or even playing a game. Middle and high school students may seek support through the use of social media.

Be aware of what is being posted and shared on social media and encourage students to seek support for a friend in need.

There is not a timeline on grief, and some students may need help with this process weeks or months after a death. In very unfortunate situations, the whole school can be affected by a death of a student or school staff member.

When this happens, it can be hard for teachers and school counselors to process grief with students as they may be dealing with grief themselves.

It is important for the adults to care of themselves and process grief in their own way before helping others. Reaching out to professionals for help in these situations is always an option. Also, it is okay to show emotion as an adult experiencing grief.

Modeling healthy ways to cope and express feelings can be helpful for students as long as it does not make students feel like they need to support the adult during this process. When students ask specific questions about a teacher or student death, it is important to to factual information and maintain any confidentiality that the family requests.

Provide direction on ways adults in the building will answer questions and clear up rumors or misconceptions that can occur with students.

Students may want to organize memorials or services for the loss. It can be helpful for students to have this type of closure and may need help to do this by adults.

Overall, experiencing a death is a difficult situation for all people.

When children experience loss and grief, adults such as teachers and school counselors are often main forms of support. These tips may be helpful to support students throughout this However, it is always important to be aware of more serious mental health concerns and notify a parent or professional if a child seems to be struggling with severe symptoms of grief that can include depression, anxiety, or thoughts of suicide or self harm.