Dyson College of Arts and Sciences
Issue link: http://dysoncollege.uberflip.com/i/128987
School of Education The Impact of 9/11 on Education "In the face of change and crisis, the resource we need most is our resilience." Ellie Allison: The Resilient Leader Arthur T. Maloney, EdD School of Education, New York, NY Like all other American institutions, our K-12 schools and Schools of Education were profoundly influenced by the unfathomable events surrounding the terrorist attack on New York City on September 11, 2001. Unquestionably, the event shattered our national sense of security, our perceptions of the world beyond our shores, and our views concerning cultures and religious beliefs which heretofore we had chosen for the most part to ignore. The immediate effects of witnessing the horrors of September 11 on our own soil and subsequent social, economic, and political turmoil remain constant and central themes in every school room across the country 10 years later. In many respects, America's teachers in 2001—confused, disoriented, and unaccustomed to dealing with such tragedies—were nonetheless first responders in working with the children in their care to allay fears, provide perspective and prepare students for a new world view which would change things forever. As the smoke cleared from the initial attack, the responsibility for making sense of the tragedy and reacting appropriately to the new challenges became a sudden front burner issue for America's schools and its teacher preparation institutions. How do we respond intelligently to the inevitable questions raised: Why do such things occur? Who is responsible? How will we respond going forward? For schools, such questions go to the heart of our mission as educators of the future generation, as contributors to creating the next generation of thoughtful, just and discerning members of a democratic society. As Allison and Reeves (2011) point out: "… resilience is an inside job that begins by choosing to be resilient…Resilience requires leaders to take care of business-and themselves- while taking action in new realities." For educators, September 11, 2001, was both an end and an awakening as suggested in the words of T.S. Elliot, "We shall not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time." (Page and Sosniak, 2002) How do we see through the fog of war and retribution to provide our students with the skills of perspective and critical thinking which enable us to confront our own biases? How can we honor with sensitivity the legendary courage and sacrifice of so many while also examining critically the debate surrounding our reactions to public policy nationally and internationally? These are the challenges that continue to confront educational professionals and schools of education going forward. What ultimately is a crucial role for educators and a major commitment to our students in the post 9/11 era is to strongly consider the words of Professor John Willinsky from the University of British Columbia. While referring to 9/11 and its aftermath he noted, "…What is important about education is that its spirit of openness survives any attack on the human qualities of trust and the drive to know, both of which education offers." (Willinsky, 2002) 67