Hello Everyone,
Thank you for all your wonderful ideas, suggestions, and opinions. I am sorry I have not responded back sooner with my follow through. I did have a discussion with my PreK class around the end of February. I combined many of your suggestions. I feel like it went really well. I sat my students down in our group time circle and told them I wanted to talk to them about our Lockdown drills. I started out by talking about how if we have a fire drill/real fire- the danger is inside the building and we stop everything, line up, and get outside and away to safety. We talked about with a Tornado drill, again we stop everything, line up, go downstairs to our safe location (where we are less likely to have broken glass flying and is a stronger area of the building), and cover our heads with our hands to help protect them in case anything flies around or gets blown over by the strong winds. Then I asked if any students knew why we practice the Lockdown drill and go sit, in the dark, quietly, in the bathroom. No student had any ideas. I shared with them that in a Lockdown situation, there is some kind of danger inside our school, outside of our classroom/classroom door. We need to hide ourselves from that danger- so that is why we turn off our lights, close both bathroom doors, and all sit in the dark in one bathroom, and ask them to be quiet. I told them that my co-teacher and I are there to keep them safe, and that hiding is also helping us stay safe. I told them an important part of hiding in the bathroom is that we need to stay very quiet- so nobody knows we are in there. I told them that our administrative team (actually named our team members) are going through the building to take care of the danger/verify that everything is safe. One of the team members then always comes to tell us when it is okay/safe to come out. I told them that if it was a real lockdown, with real danger inside our school/outside our classroom door, that it would likely be a Police Officer that comes and lets us know when it is safe or helps us get out safely.
After that part of the discussion I explained to students that we (my co-teacher and I) were going to help each student pick a favorite place they like to be where they feel very SAFE and happy. We had students close their eyes and really work on picturing/using their "Imagine" minds to see all the details of the room- color of walls, the color and feel of the floor, all furniture and toys, where they are in the room, if they are sitting or laying down- how does what they are sitting/laying on feel to their body, and most importantly reminding them that this is a place where they feel SAFE and happy. We have continued to practice using our "Imagine" minds to see and feel our favorite, safe place close to everyday, for varied amounts of time. My PreK class is really doing quite well with this. They are all now willing to close their eyes, take deep calming breaths, and "Imagine" their favorite, safe place.
We often practice this at the end of our Thumbs Up! Gross Motor Lesson, and Outdoor Play/Inside Active Movement Activities (weather dependent). When we are inside, due to weather/temperature, the Preschool (3 year old students) class, often joins us. We have had them doing the "Imagine" your favorite, safe place, also. It is more difficult for them to close their eyes/keep them closed and actually "Imagine" and stay quiet. It is good practice for them, though. Their teacher liked the idea of doing this when we have Lockdown drills. The preschool class actually joined us the first day we started doing the "Imagine" your favorite, safe place. They were part of us explaining how to close your eyes, and see in your mind, all the details of the room. I felt they were probably too young yet to hear the full explanation I gave my class about the danger inside our classroom/outside our classroom door, etc...We did share with them that when we have a Lockdown drill, and have to into the bathroom, with lights out, that we are going to be doing this "Imagine" activity to help everyone stay calm and quiet.
We have not had a Lockdown drill yet since the discussion, but I'm sure one will come up soon. We practice all our drills regularly. We actually had a Lockdown drill the week before I finally decided I had to have the talk with my students. It was during our Inside Active Movement Activity time, so preschool was with us. I must say- I'm glad we have a large bathroom, since we had to fit both classes inside. Luckily, it happened on a day when I have low numbers in my room. It was really difficult for students to quiet down, once inside. It helped push me to get the discussion done and start practicing our "Imagine". I am glad we had the talk, and I think my students have a much better understanding of what and why we are doing it. Some students had questions during our discussion, but no students seemed frightened or distressed about our talk. I also made sure to share with parents that we had the discussion. Luckily, I had our owner/administrator look over what I was telling parents in our communication tool, because she caught the fact that I had included where our "safe" hiding spot actually was. I took that out, since, if (hopefully not) we do ever have a parent that would pose a threat, they do not know where we hide. I was glad she noticed that, because I totally missed that.
Thank you all again for your very helpful ideas, thoughts, your own practices, and opinions. I feel it is terribly unfortunate and so sad that we have to put our young (or any age) students through this. I dream, hope for the future, and am actively trying now to help create a peaceful, kind, caring, compassionate, and conscientious group of future citizens and leaders who will help build a peaceful, safe world to live in.
Heidi
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Heidi Van Amburg
PreK Teacher
Primrose School of St. Louis Park West
Crystal MN
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2019 08:46 AM
From: Heidi Van Amburg
Subject: HELP PLEASE: Explaining Lockdown/Code Red drills to PreK students
Hi Everyone,
I am wondering if I could get some feedback about what you think is appropriate to tell/say to PreK (4-5 year olds) students regarding Lockdown/Code Red drills. This is my first year teaching, and I could really use some advice in this area. The students totally understand the fire drills and tornado drills and the reasons for them. I teach in an Early Childhood Center and most of my students moved up to my classroom from the Preschool (3 year olds) classroom, and are used to doing the drill. I have two students who came new to the school. I do not believe any of my students have ever had the purpose of the drill explained to them- they were too young before. I feel like I should give some type of explanation to them so they better understand. They all pretty much think it is a game when we turn out the lights and go in our bathroom, so they are pretty noisy. If the situation would ever really occur, they need to know the importance of being quiet. Since when they were younger it was taught as kind of a game, it is very hard to get them to be calm and quiet.
I do not, however, want to cause a lot of fear in my students. I want to reassure them that our school owner/administrator and office staff are handling the situation, and will let us know when it is safe to be loud and come out. What is appropriate to tell them? I did have one suggestion from a teacher who tells her students that their principal (she is at a public school) saw a person in the building on the cameras that had not gone and checked in at the office. She tells them that they are just going to be silent with the lights out, and stay in the bathroom while the principal finds this person and makes sure they are a safe person to be in the building. My dilemma is we do not have cameras throughout the inside of our building that are used during the day, because licensing says that is not okay. Otherwise, I like her idea of explaining to students that our owner/administrator is checking to make sure someone that is in our building is a safe person.
Does anyone else have any other, or further ideas? I would really love some advice. As I said, I think my PreK students need some type of explanation to help guide their behavior during the drill (or if it ever really occurred). Thank you for any ideas, and advice you can provide. I will be very grateful!
Heidi
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Heidi Van Amburg
PreK Teacher
Primrose School of St. Louis Park West
Crystal MN
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