Tragedy strikes in educational setting: Lives lost within the walls of education
In a heartwarming initiative, the Christophorus Hospice Association Erding is providing child grief counseling training to primary school students. This valuable program, known as the "Letzte Hilfe, Kids and Teens" course, is designed to help children cope with illness, grief, and death.
The seminar, recently held at Thalheim primary school, was structured to actively involve students, not just make them passive listeners. The day began with a practical exercise on a swing towel, demonstrating the importance of teamwork in caring for those in need.
Tanja Hagl, a trained children’s grief counselor, led the seminar. She explained that the aim was to help children understand death in a way that is age-appropriate and sensitive. Communication was adapted to children’s developmental understanding of death, recognizing that younger children might not grasp its permanence.
Throughout the seminar, students were assigned roles such as caregiver, gardener, family member, meals-on-wheels driver, or doctor. They were encouraged to express their grief through drawing, storytelling, or play, allowing them to explore and communicate feelings they might not verbalize easily.
One student, Leonard, expressed his concern about the deceased not being quite dead. In response, Iris Hauser, another counselor, reassured him, "They weren't quite dead." This was part of the seminar's mission to normalize the concept of death and help students understand that it is a part of life.
The seminar also included practical tips about death, such as simple massage techniques and pouring liquids through a foam plug to bring joy to the dying or seriously ill relative. The students found these activities both educational and engaging, with some finding the foam part in their mouths enjoyable, while others found it a bit gross.
Back in the classroom, the students discussed their feelings about a sick relative getting worse. Hagl explained that all feelings are normal and okay, reinforcing the seminar's message of emotional acceptance and understanding.
The Christophorus Hospice Association Erding relies on donations for this crucial child grief counseling training. If you wish to support their cause, donation information can be found on their website www.hospizverein-erding.de/spenden.
The seminar at Thalheim primary school was praised by the class teacher and has undoubtedly made a positive impact on the students' understanding of death and grief. It serves as a testament to the importance of such initiatives in helping children navigate the complexities of life.
- The engaging seminar, dedicated to health-and-wellness and mental-health, integrates science and personal-growth by teaching primary school students about death in an age-appropriate and sensitive manner, promoting emotional acceptance and understanding.
- In addition to learning practical tips about death, such as massage techniques, the seminar, organized by the Christophorus Hospice Association Erding, also encourages education-and-self-development through creative activities like drawing, storytelling, and play, fostering open communication about grief.
- The child grief counseling training provided by the Christophorus Hospice Association Erding, as shown in the Thalheim primary school seminar, not only aids in health-and-wellness and mental-health but also extends to fostering empathy and teamwork among the students, serving as an example of effective learning and personal growth.
