Discussing the Capitol Riots with Students
Turning current events into teachable moments may sometimes be difficult… sensitive even, but it is possible. Here are a few ideas of what you can do to discuss not just the riot at the US Capitol with students, but ANY current event that may take place in the future.
January 6, 2021, left the whole world stunned as we watched a mob of Trump supporters attack one of our country’s most sacred buildings in an attempt to overturn our nation’s election results. I first heard the news via Twitter, where videos and pictures of the insurrection were being plastered firsthand on every inch of my timeline through “likes,” “retweets,” and trends. As we know, millions of students are learning digitally, and are therefore constantly connected to this online presence that we call social media. I knew it would be necessary for educators (including myself), to consider how they would have the conversation about WTF just happened.
Questions to Consider: Students’ Perspective
Here are a few valuable questions I’ve seen students ask:
What and where is the United States Capitol?
Why is it important to our country?
Who went to the Capitol?
What was their reasoning for going there?
What did the (rioters) people do once they arrived?
Are we safe?
How is this different from the Black Lives Matter protests?
Why didn’t anyone stop them?
What now?
How to Address the Riots: Teacher’s Perspective
Google Forms
This year there’s been a big push within school districts for Social Emotional Learning (SEL), and rightfully so. Our country, like many others, has had quite the year, as we’ve been left to deal with death of loved ones, loss of income and jobs, sickness, social-distancing, and remote learning. It’s important that we first and foremost check on our students’ mental health and wellbeing. Google Forms is a great way for students to anonymously or privately submit answers to questions you want to ask them, especially when you can’t provide the one-on-one conversations that may sometimes be preferred for sensitive subjects.
KWL Charts
Let’s assess! KWL charts are always a great way to introduce a new topic to your students, as you informally assess them, and determine what they know, what they want to know, and what they’ve learned. Even at a preschool level, I have integrated KWL charts into my classroom’s routine.
Open Discussions
Open up the floor for students to just talk about what they know and what they think. One issue I’ve heard a lot of elementary school teachers mention, is the lack of participation from students; cameras off, mics off, and little conversation. Events like this tend to be more interesting, especially to the older grade levels who scroll through social media all day going back and forth in discourse with their friends and family. Invite them to talk about what they saw on Twitter, what memes resonated with them from the night’s events. Allow them to fully express themselves. These are pertinent opportunities to help develop their critical thinking, ask them open-ended questions that will push them to engage a little bit more.
Formal Debates
Depending on the grade level, you might find it appropriate to create debate teams. If students seem to be “on the fence,” about an event, allow them them to debate a topic. Assign students to a position, and let them do the necessary research that follows for the week, followed by the debate and recap as the conclusion.
Picture Walk & Talk
If appropriate, accumulate some of the photos from the day’s event. Create a slideshow on a form like Google Slides, and allow students to discuss their thoughts on what they notice within the photos, and what conclusions could be drawn from them. Perhaps use the pictures as writing prompts whether fictional or nonfictional.
Journaling
Once students have processed some of the information they’ve learned, and have been given a chance to discuss it with their teacher(s) and peers, give them an opportunity to reflect. Journaling, whether with a writing prompt or free writing, is a healthy coping mechanism that allows students to do some inner reflection on their own feelings, thoughts, and frustrations. This also gives them the opportunity to express themselves in a less-restrictive environment, something they might not feel as comfortable with during open-discussions.
Mindfulness/ Meditation
News like this can be overwhelming. Taking a few moments to allow students to simply breathe will be appreciated. Unsure of what mindfulness may look like? There are plenty of visual resources students can follow along to via YouTube. Some of my favorites include: Kira Willey: Mindful Moments for Kids, Cosmic Kids: Guided Relaxation, and Headspace: Sesame x Headspace Meditations. Please note that there are many different resources to choose from for all ages, including Headspace which I use in my personal life. These guided practices are helpful reminders to just breathe when we are feeling overwhelmed or anxious.