Resources for when things are not okay
This post originally appeared in Dr. Rachel A. Larimore’s weekly Samara newsletter on May 31, 2022. If you’re interested in receiving these emails, scroll to the bottom of this page to subscribe.
I had a different plan for today’s newsletter, but I would be remiss to ignore the events in the United States this past week.
The murders in Buffalo and Uvalde last week are heartbreaking, maddening, and quite simply—not okay! I know not everyone who receives this newsletter is from the United States. For those outside of the U.S., I can only imagine how ridiculous we must look. For those who are in the U.S., we can do better. We MUST do better.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) sent an email last week that pointed out a key component of our professional code of ethics:
“Above all, we shall not harm children. This principle has precedence over all others in this Code.”
– NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct
The solution to gun violence in this country is most definitely not the sole responsibility of educators. Think of the policies, teacher drills, social resources, and other actions we’ve already put in place to combat these acts! Yet, as educators we will not stop there. Not only is it in our code of ethics, but it’s core to who we are—to help.
Nature-based programs are not immune to these issues. So, with that in mind, I thought I'd share a few resources that might be helpful:
Teaching & family resources
Tomorrow there is a free webinar “Supporting Families and Young Children in Times of Fear and Anxiety,” by Dr. Lauren Starnes through Early Childhood Investigations Webinar. Register here (they’ll send a recording if you can’t make it live) Starnes is the author of Big Conversations with Little Children: Addressing Questions, Worries, and Fears
Teaching on Days After: Educating for Equity in the Wake of Injustice by Dr. Alyssa Dunn who is a professor at Michigan State University. It includes stories from teachers after different major events and tragedies in our communities.
The National Childhood Traumatic Stress Network has many resources related to school shootings including a parent guide and an article about age-related reactions.
Save the Children has an article on how to talk to kids about school shootings (and other tragedies)
An article in NAEYC’s Teaching Young Children, Being a Helper: Supporting Children to Feel Safe and Secure after Disasters by Laura J. Colker, provides concrete action steps based on behaviors you may see in the classroom.
Power of nature to help heal
The Children & Nature Network has created a Nature Helps Children Recover from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) toolkit. The toolkit was developed in partnership with Casey Family Programs and highlights how time in nature can be a powerful antidote to the negative impacts of trauma and stress in children’s lives.
Organizations taking action
Youth-led activist group March For Our Lives is a youth-led activist group who believe “a new reality is possible—one where we are free from gun violence in all of its forms, including state-sanctioned violence by police.”
Mayors and moms came together to work toward action through Everytown.org, another organization working to prevent gun violence. They’re leading the Wear Orange campaign on June 3-5 as a way to bring awareness to gun violence.
Again, this gun violence is not okay. I’m also aware these events come at the end of what has already been a hellacious year for early childhood educators. So, in addition to caring for children please remember to take care of yourself. Cry, write letters to legislators, hug your children/nieces/nephews/friends, spend time alone in nature, or find space for laughter—whatever you need for yourself.
Keep changing lives,
Rachel
Rachel A. Larimore, Ph.D., Chief Visionary of Samara Learning
About Rachel
Dr. Rachel A. Larimore is an educator, speaker, consultant, author, and former nature-based preschool director. As the founder and Chief Visionary of Samara Early Learning her work focuses on helping early childhood educators start nature-based schools or add nature-based approaches into their existing program. Learn more about Rachel here.
