Updated November 20, 2023
The terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel and the resulting war in the Gaza Strip has led to thousands of lives lost. Many NAIS community members are worrying about loved ones and mourning personal loss. The conflict is also likely spurring difficult but important conversations in schools. We hope some of the resources below, shared previously with heads of school, can help NAIS school leaders and educators as they support their communities; restore a sense of safety; guide students through understanding the conflict, the context, and its impact; and manage complex conversations in their communities.
NAIS Resources
- NAIS Webinar Recording: Navigating World Events and Institutional Statements
- NAIS Webinar Recording: Supporting Our Schools: A Conversation for Heads of NAIS Schools
- NAIS Webinar Recording: Supporting Students and Ourselves
- NAIS Webinar Recording: Supporting Students Amid Global Conflict: A Conversation with Leaders from the Field
- NAIS Webinar Recording: Understanding the Impact of Recent Global Events on School Safety
- Legal Tip of the Week: Understand the Impact of Recent Global Events on School Safety
- NAIS Webinar Recording: Understanding the Impact of Recent Global Events on School Safety
- Legal Tip of the Week: Safety and Civil Discourse
Helping Children Cope with Upsetting News Events
- Processing Attacks in Israel and the Outbreak of War in the Region (Facing History & Ourselves)
- Explaining the News to Our Kids (Common Sense Media)
- Helping Children Cope with Frightening News (Child Mind Institute)
- How to Talk to Children about Difficult News (American Psychological Association)
- Talking with Children and Teens about the Israel-Gaza War (National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement)
- Helping Children Cope with Terrorism–Tips for Families and Educators (National Association of School Psychologists)
- Tips for Talking With and Helping Children and Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Talking to Children About Tragedies (American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Helping Children Cope After a Traumatic Event (Child Mind Institute)
- Promoting Compassion and Acceptance in Crisis (National Association of School Psychologists)
- Resilience in a Time of War: Tips for Parents and Teachers of Elementary School Children (American Psychological Association)
Communicating with Your Community
- Practice (and Preach) Civility in Public and Private Discourse (Beyond Intractability)
- When Should a School Issue an Official Statement? (NAIS, Independent School magazine)
- Getting to We: Communicating in the Age of Polarization (NAIS, Independent School magazine)
- The Internet, Free Speech, and Schools (NAIS, Independent School magazine)
- Revisiting Policies on Civil Discourse (NAIS, Independent School magazine)
Addressing Intolerance and Bias at School
- FACT SHEET: The U.S. Department of Education Announces New Tools to Tackle Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Related Forms of Discrimination and Bias (U.S. Department of Education)
- Resources for Preventing and Addressing Antisemitism in Schools (U.S. Department of Education)
- Resources for Preventing and Addressing Islamophobia in Schools (U.S. Department of Education)
- Promoting Religious Inclusion in Schools (National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments)
- Webinars: Addressing Antisemitism (USC Shoah Foundation)
- Preventing and Responding to Bias and Hate Incidents in K-12 Educational Settings: A Toolkit for School & Community Leaders (Department of Justice)
- Responding to Hate and Bias at School: A Guide for Administrators, Counselors and Teachers (Learning for Justice)
- School Response to Bullying, Intolerance, and Hate: A Quick Guide for Action (Not In Our Town)
- Managing Difficult Classroom Discussions (Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning, Indiana University)
- Responding to Hate and Bias at School: A Guide for Administrators, Counselors and Teachers (Learning for Justice)
- Tools and Strategies: Antisemitism Today (ADL)
- Confronting Islamophobia (Facing History & Ourselves)
- Teaching Materials on Antisemitism and Racism (U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum)
- Teaching Islam: Deconstructing Myths and Clarifying Truths (PBS Education)
- Structural Racism Explained (The Othering & Belonging Institute)
- How to Explain and Help Students Navigate Today’s Polarization (Edutopia)
- Promoting Fair and Just Schools (National Institutes of Health)
Teaching Resources
- Teaching About Contemporary Antisemitism (Echoes and Reflections online course)
- Religious Diversity & Bridgebuilding (Interfaith America)
- Fostering Civil Discourse: How Do We Talk About Issues That Matter (Facing History and Ourselves)
- Conducting a Civil Conversation in the Classroom (Constitutional Rights Foundation)
- Israel-Hamas War: Updates, Tracking Misinformation, and More (AllSides, which shares how media sources from different political perspectives report the news)
- Conflict in the Middle East Following a Surprise Attack by Hamas Fighters on Israel C-Span Classroom article:
- Hamas-Israel War: Resources (A series of short, animated videos from the Institute for Curriculum Services on the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict and peace process
- Historical Coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (PBS Kids)
- What Is U.S. Policy on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict? (Council on Foreign Relations)