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As New York City memorializes the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, when hijackers flew planes into the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and a Pennsylvania field, Chalkbeat wants to hear from teachers across the five boroughs: How do you teach about 9/11 in your classroom?
With children back in school for just one day before this year’s anniversary, it might be hard for teachers to discuss the topic on 9/11 as they are still building community with their students. Educators, how will you approach the day?
Several resources for teachers exist. New York City’s Education Department offers an instructional guide with links to books, lesson plans, archival materials, and more, and also offers professional development sessions for teachers and administrators at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. And the 9/11 Memorial & Museum provides lessons for educators and also offers on-site and virtual visits for students in grades 3-12. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has a 9/11 curriculum.
Many New York City educators were in the classroom on Sept. 11, 2001 others may have been students at the time.
Suzanne Werner, who worked at Lower Manhattan’s P.S. 124, was asked that morning to cover for a fifth grade teacher whose husband worked at the nearby World Trade Center.
“It was so hard to get back to teaching that fall,” Werner previously told Chalkbeat. “The stench of the cloud hung over the neighborhood. The number of boxes of letters and boxes of teddy bears from school kids all over the country was overwhelming.”
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