Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

In an unusually frank discussion, this site offers students, families, and education professionals advice on how to help manage eating disorders, especially in people whom you care about. There is a wealth of information here, so parents and counselors should review the site thoroughly before using or recommending specific portions.

tag(s): eating disorders (6)

While originally written as a response to the 9/11 tragedies, the content of this page offers helpful advice for children experiencing death or loss of any sort. The section on the developmental differences in young people's experiences of grief will help parents assist their children effectively.

tag(s): psychology (65)

This page offers a synopsis of the ways in which children may react to the death of a friend or loved one. It offers brief guidance on the scope of normal reactions, suggestions on helping children remember a loved one, and tips about reactions that may indicate problems that require professional attention.

The Department of Homeland Security's web site on individual and family preparedness isn't strictly academic, but it offers information on emergency supplies and procedures that will be of interest to many families and schools. While no guide for these events can be foolproof, this information offers practical steps that don't require extensive preparation or expenditures.

tag(s): disasters (37), terrorism (41)

This page is part of NASP's disaster response section. While it was originally designed as a 9/11 resource, many of its elements could be useful in managing responses to other disaster situations. There are also links to related resources for teachers and professionals
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): disasters (37), terrorism (41)

This page and associated resources were developed to help families cope with disasters of various sorts. The content is deeper than many similar sites, and there is a significant collection of links to additional resources. Both parents and teachers should find this one helpful.

tag(s): disasters (37), terrorism (41)

FEMA's guide to helping children after a disaster seems modelled largely on the American Red Cross content, and it concentrates on natural disasters. Most helpful is the information about children's reaction to disaster by age group. Depending on your local situation, the related links may also be useful.

tag(s): disasters (37), terrorism (41)

This information from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry offers brief guidelines about the reactions to disasters that are typical in children and young people, along with links to more detailed information. This page concentrates on offering meaningful responses to these children.

tag(s): disasters (37), terrorism (41)

This page offers a combination of resources for children, parents, and educators helping children cope with the direct or indirect results of natural or other disasters. While much of the focus is on natural disasters, the coping skills for children are applicable in a wide range of situations.

tag(s): disasters (37), terrorism (41)

This page from the National Institutes of Mental Health offers information for parents and professionals on helping children and adolescents cope with disasters, tragedies, and violence. There is information for young people directly affected by these events and also for those who are reacting to them from a greater distance. The page includes information on post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as further resources for victims directly affected.

tag(s): disasters (37), terrorism (41)

The National Institutes of Mental Health offers this site for both public and professional audiences. It highlights characteristics and management of several mental health conditions in children and young people. There is coverage of the relationships between environment and mental health, as well as the role and appropriateness of medication for specific disorders.

tag(s): behavior (45), mental health (48)

Looking for a "good eating habits" site that will actually engage students? This offering from the Center for Science in the Public Interest serves up its anti-junk food message with clever writing and graphics. The site lets students build their own meal and see its nutritional value, and the "snacktoids" offer scores of quick facts showing the effects of a diet with lots of fast foods.

tag(s): nutrition (140)

The Davidson Institute offers a broad range of resources for parents, teachers, and professionals working with "profoundly gifted" students - typically those with both an IQ above 150 and one or more specific talents. The site offers enrichment ideas, advanced placement strategies, and encouragement for students themselves. Though it is applicable to a very narrow range of students, this is a very rich resource.

tag(s): gifted (66)

Farms can be a setting for a unique set of serious accidents, so this site on safety on farms makes sense for students in rural areas. Learn how to work safely around farm equipment, grain, mowing equipment, and more. This is an area of safety that most schools overlook.

tag(s): safety (68)

Teachers and parents alike will be interested in this parent's saga of their son's experience with an overwhelming advanced math class. Readers should be sure to read the editor's response, which offers a helpful commentary on when "advanced" coursework becomes excessive. The editor, a faculty member at a California University, publishes commentary on educational issues from time to time.

The PBS Frontline series tackles the issues surrounding the medication of school-age children for ADHD and other reasons. It's a probing look at the various constituencies and advocate groups that drive the debate. In an unusual move, the entire program is avialable on the web for those who have a high-speed connection.

tag(s): adhd (28)

The US Department of Health and Human Services offers this online catalog of drug and alcohol information for teens. Many of these publications are available online, and they may prove helpful to parents, students, or guidance counselors grappling with substance abuse issues. HHS also offers additional catalog sections targeted specifically to children.

tag(s): drugs and alcohol (28), red ribbon week (9)

Here is proof that you need not be famous to be a hero. This site offers capsule biographies of hundreds of people who have made remarkable contributions to our world through their lives and activities. There are featured heroes and a large collection of biographies indexed by theme. This is a great site for students who ask, "Sure, but what can I do...?" Be sure to look under Lesson Plans to find the Character Education section for "...Multimedia Resources to Explore Character Traits and the Heroes Who Demonstrate these Values."

tag(s): character education (79), heroes (24)

The Center for Character & Responsibility at Boston University has created a character education site that is both successful and apolitical. This page offers a reading list, information on the Six E's of character education, and a large collection of lesson plans and ideas that integrate character education with other subject areas.

tag(s): character education (79), ethics (21), social skills (22)

The Center for Character & Social Responsibility at Boston University has created a character education site that is both successful and apolitical. This page offers an introduction to what character education is and is not, along with resources for further exploration. Parents and teacher alike will find the information useful as a guideline for integrating character education into other curricula and activities. Be sure to click Resources on the right menu to find lesson plans

tag(s): behavior (45), character education (79), ethics (21), social skills (22)