Raymond Cree Middle School discusses how they teach students about 9/11
Kendall Flynn
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – While the new generation of students was not born during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers, local schools continue to teach them about its history.
Studies show teaching students about 9/11 is important to give the younger generation factual information about a significant day that shaped the nation. As the day has complex global factors, educators say breaking down what lead to the attacks, what happened during and after is important even 24 years later.
Eighth grade U.S. History teacher, Debbie Sanchez, at Raymond Cree Middle School spent the day teaching her students about the tragic events. She molded the lesson into ways to discuss heavy topics respectfully, but asking students to choose words to define that they felt drawn to.
Students chose a variety of words like justice, freedom, diversity and rights. Sanchez said it’s important to teach them how to have respectful conversations about divided topics.
“As adults, we actually tend to discourage discussing religion politics because it can be divisive,” Sanchez said. “And the students, the children of the community, they came together and discussed…in a academic, caring and thoughtful way.”
She said each year her teaching style has to adapt to her students, especially as they are not a generation that was alive during the attacks. She makes sure the lesson is impactful and palatable.
“I don’t think it will always be like this,” Sanchez said. “I think as a teacher it’s my job to change to adapt to deliver to my audience information in a way that is interesting and palatable for them but it it’ll never change the impact and the importance of 9/11.”
Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from a teacher and students about the day of remembrance and how their honoring it with education.