Teachable Moment

Today was just that-- a teachable moment.

Last Wednesday we all experienced something that we will never forget. The memory will most likely diminish with time. The text messages will be deleted. And, eventually, the heightened feelings you have right now will fade, but the day will remain in your memory forever.

Some may say "nothing happened".

"There was no violence."

"There was no gunman."

Yet, we all know something happened. Something very important. Something that needs to be discussed.

A teachable moment is a situation that opens the door for a person to talk to a child or any other person about subjects that are difficult but necessary to discuss. These difficult conversation topics may include sexuality, alcohol and drug use, smoking, violence, eating disorders and depression.

Today the discussion was school violence and terrorism.

Hopefully you will not experience school violence when you start to teach. However, if you do, you can initiate a discussion like the one we had today to guide and teach your students. They may resist, but you need to try. Everyone has something to say; they just may be scared to say it.

I know I did not *want* to have this discussion, but it was necessary.

I would like to thank each one of you for being brave, and sharing a piece of yourself today.