I hate to be the downer of the bunch today, but this whole Virginia Tech thing is really bothering me. Maybe it's because we've been practicing lockdowns at school the last couple of weeks and then this happens.
The kids and I talked about it a little bit this morning and they had some very good questions and responses. Among the things they asked was, "Why didn't they have a lockdown drill like we do?" and "Why didn't the university shut down after the first shooting?" I'm sure that these are questions that many people are asking. They also voiced their confidence in me. One student said, "I know that we'd be safe here because you said you'd protect us."
When we practiced the drill two weeks ago, a student asked me afterwards, "What would happen if someone broke into the room anyways?" And my response was, "I'd protect you. They'd have to get through me first." What strikes me about today's comment was that the kids know how much I care. And it also reminds me how much I really care about this class of kids especially.
Today I read the following on CNN about one of the professors killed at Virginia Tech and it made me cry because it felt like it really hit home:
Liviu Librescu, 76, was a Holocaust survivor, who his son said, will be remembered as a hero. He "blocked the doorway with his body and asked the students to flee," Joe Librescu told AP. "Students started opening windows and jumping out." The elder Librescu, a professor at Virginia Tech, was recognized internationally for his research in aeronautical engineering, the head of the Engineering Science and Mechanics Department at Virginia Tech told AP. He was born and received his advanced degrees in Romania.
The kids and I talked about it a little bit this morning and they had some very good questions and responses. Among the things they asked was, "Why didn't they have a lockdown drill like we do?" and "Why didn't the university shut down after the first shooting?" I'm sure that these are questions that many people are asking. They also voiced their confidence in me. One student said, "I know that we'd be safe here because you said you'd protect us."
When we practiced the drill two weeks ago, a student asked me afterwards, "What would happen if someone broke into the room anyways?" And my response was, "I'd protect you. They'd have to get through me first." What strikes me about today's comment was that the kids know how much I care. And it also reminds me how much I really care about this class of kids especially.
Today I read the following on CNN about one of the professors killed at Virginia Tech and it made me cry because it felt like it really hit home:
Liviu Librescu, 76, was a Holocaust survivor, who his son said, will be remembered as a hero. He "blocked the doorway with his body and asked the students to flee," Joe Librescu told AP. "Students started opening windows and jumping out." The elder Librescu, a professor at Virginia Tech, was recognized internationally for his research in aeronautical engineering, the head of the Engineering Science and Mechanics Department at Virginia Tech told AP. He was born and received his advanced degrees in Romania.
5 comments:
the whole thing is insane! i'll be very interested in reading the "logic" in the note the shooter left behind.
Good that the kids know you care - that goes a long way i'm sure! :)
WOW!! That was a brave man!!
I know you would do the same thing, and that is why the kids love you!!!
That man better be in Heaven right now...he's already been to Hell...twice. I wonder why such things would happen repeatedly to an individual given the circumstances...
That's a tough scenerio to discuss with the children, esp. given the school link...what grade do you teach? Fifth-ish?
Yea Martha, it bothered me too that he'd already been through the Holocaust. It does make you question....
I teach 8th graders.
The whole thing has me reeling as well. I keep thinking back to our last inservice...we had our police liason officer talking about what we should do to make things more secure and what to do in case someone comes in shooting...the scariest part is that it is up to us to protect these kids. And in the end, no matter what we do, it'll be wrong, because how can a teacher stop someone who wants to kill kids? Especially my little ones...it's not like they would know to jump out a window and run. Even if I said to, some would freeze up and could still be killed. I'm terrified by this. Absolutely terrified.
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