When discussing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, educators at Naper Elementary School acknowledge the situation they and other elementary schools face is different than what it might be were they teaching in a middle or high school.
“Any time you are talking about war, you have to be very careful with children and the way you present it,” Principal Tracy Dvorchak said. “However, you need to provide some opportunities for them to have some conversations and ways they could make a positive difference.”
The Naperville school has been looking at ways to address children’s questions so the answers are age appropriate and non-traumatic and trying to find activities that focus on peace and help students feel like they’re doing something to help.
English Learners assistant Elena Fuller has tried to offer some insight to families and teachers trying to determine what to tell children. Fuller was born and raised in Belarus, a former Soviet republic located on both the Russian and Ukrainian borders.
A few school families from Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan – countries formed after the fall of the Soviet Union – have reached out to her for advice, comfort and information as well, she said.
“I started understanding how deeply impacted these families are. A lot of our children’s grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles are still in old countries … the families honestly didn’t know how open they could be about their concerns,” Fuller said.
She still has ties to her home country too. Her mother and brother are in Belarus, and she has family and friends in Ukraine.
“When war broke out, it was very personal to me,” Fuller said.
Employees at the school have asked her questions about the former Soviet republics, her family and the ongoing crisis, she said.
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“(Fuller) has taught me more about the conflict and how it might be affecting students from Kyrgyzstan and even Poland, Lithuania, all of the surrounding countries,” English Learners teacher Amy Todd said.
The school is in the process of getting books that focus on the topic of peace, Todd and Dvorchak said. They may not be discussing war in the classrooms but the school is trying to address related topics like peace and empathy, they said.
“This topic is pretty deep for young students. So we have decided we want to focus on peace and maybe empowering our kids to do something,” Dvorchak said.
The school already had initiatives in place to address the diverse school community, like its third/fourth grade bilingual buddies program, a culture group and social media posts recognizing different backgrounds.
“It is already strong (at Naper, the focus on) understanding differences and understanding everyone fits and that people are from different areas of the world,” Todd said.
The school’s art department plans on doing projects associated with the sunflower, Ukraine’s national flower and a symbol of solidarity with the country.
Tying into the sunflower theme, the school’s MAD (Make A Difference) club will be collecting donations for the Red Cross. Dvorchak said students can give any amount and receive a pack of sunflower seeds.
“We will give them a packet of sunflower seeds to plant at home as a reminder of peace,” she said.
When asked what advice they may have for families and teachers trying to approach this topic with young children, the Naper educators remind adults to be cautious.
“When children ask questions (in school), I think what we’ll do is reassure them they’re safe, talk calmly with them, ask them what they’ve heard and where they’ve heard it, and make sure their parents are aware they are asking things,” Dvorchak said.
“At our level, we really should just give them very basic information … and not going into lots of detail,” she said.
Added Todd: “With little ones, you don’t want to frighten them or expose the tragedies of war.”
Fuller, meanwhile, urged adults to not show prejudice in the conversations they have on the matter.
“If I have to say anything to parents talking to their children, please avoid stereotyping,” she said.