Grief Speaks
Teachers Can Help
  
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How Teachers Can Lessen the Burden of Grief for Single Parent Children
 

  • Identify the single parent children, for legal and emotional reasons.
  • Update emergency records annually requesting current information.
  • Be aware of your own attitudes and feelings. Avoid statements such as "broken home," negative biases or judgements.
  • Teach "feeling words" in the classroom.
  • Initiate class discussions. Discuss the various meanings of family.
  • Be aware of gift giving and gift making. Let the child decide for whom the gift is made and given; avoid Mother's Day gifts for Mother only, etc.
  • Be sensitive to school events. Try parent/child events rather than mother/son or father/daughter outings.
  • Stay out of custody battles.
  • Schedule parent/teacher conferences at various times.
  • Have books about death and divorce available in the library.
  • Be supportive of the parents' situation. Have lists of social service agencies and books available for parents.
  • Don't blame all the problems on living in a single parent family.
  • Be sensitive in the communications and letters going home. Avoid "Dear parents," never assume the last names are the same, or that there is a Mr. and Mrs. at home.
  • Understand the financial difficulties.
  • Keep communication open between you and the parent.
  • Provide opportunities to talk with the child alone. Be empathetic, understanding, and assist the child in verbalizing by using feeling words.
  • Don't make light of the situation. Validate the child's feelings.
  • Don't pry or intrude into family privacy.
  • Don't give advice or suggestions. Usually, the child just needs you to listen.
  • Don't bring up sensitive issues with the child in front of peers or other adults.
  • Be careful not to break the child's confidentiality.

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