When we met last week, Reid posed an important question about when it is appropriate to teach certain topics to students. After much searching, I found few clear answers to this question. There is, however, some very clear guidance on how and when to teach about the Holocaust. I have addressed this in a separate blog post.
NCSS has written a position statement on Early Childhood in the Social Studies Context. This statement does outline some of the ideas and concepts that are appropriate for young learners. By omission, we can assume there are some topics we should not be introducing to these students.
In regards to teaching children about war, you may find the following resources helpful.
- How to talk to your children about conflict and war
- What to tell children about war
- Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of elementary school children
- Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of middle school children
- Helping Your Students Cope With a Violent World
- How to Talk to Kids About Violence, Crime, and War
- Talking to Your Kids About War
- How to talk to children about war: An age-by-age guide
Here are some resources specific to teaching about the war in Ukraine.