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Planning to Teach on Solemn Anniversaries

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Makena Neal (she/they)

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“Anniversary reactions may occur because of the way a traumatic experience is saved in memory. Memories of trauma contain information about the danger during the event.”-National Center for PTSD
Office for Resource and Support Coordination (ORSC) Educator Guidance

  • Acknowledge February 13 and its significance via a one-time statement but avoid constant, regular, or frequent reminders.
  • Validate that everyone will have their own reactions to the anniversary.
  • Respect the wide range of reactions and emotions to the commemoration that will occur.
  • Remember not everyone in the class may have been part of the community last year.
  • Include those who were not present by acknowledging that not everyone will have the same reactions; this can tie them to the community now.
  • Trust and believe your students who express the need for additional time, space, and support during this period.


6-Word Framework for Resilience
six overlapping circles in a line starting with "acknowledge" in yellow circle positioned to the left of "honor" in a blue circle. Following is "release" in a pink circle with "relax" to the right in green circle, and then "reflect" in an orange circle. the sixth and right most circle is darke green with a spartan helmet and the word "resolve"

Laughman, L. (2017) The 6-Word Framework for Resilience.  Michigan State University.
University Health and Wellbeing, Spartan Resilience Education  spartanresilience@msu.edu


Sentence Starters to acknowledge the events
Goals: Collective empathy, understanding, & care

  • Before Class:
    1. “Next week marks one year since the tragic shooting on campus. Our class will {your approach} before carrying on…”
    2. “I understand that our next class session may bring up strong emotions as we reflect on what has happened. Please know that your feelings are valid and respected here…”
    3. “I want to acknowledge that our upcoming class might be difficult for many of us. Please know that it’s completely okay …”
  • During Class (Feb. 12):
    1. “Today, as we reflect on what happened a year ago, our classroom is a community where all feelings are valid and respected”
    2. “I want to begin class acknowledging the solemnity of the remembrances this week, and honoring the unique ways in which we all process this…”
    3. “ Our memories of Feb. 13 challenge many of us and leave us all processing in our own way…”


Practicing Care (for yourself):

To do this work, it is vital to have had the space and time to honor and attend to your own needs. Have you had the time to have your own voice heard?  Have you given yourself the rest, nourishment, and space for the internal reflection you need in order to be present for others? Consider author Eleanor Brownn’s statement, “Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” Here are recommendations from National Center on PTSD – “What can help” section of “Reactions to Chronic Stress”: 

  • Increase self-care and sleep hygiene. 
  • Practice relaxation exercises.
  • Make use of periods of reduced stress. 
  • Organize your thoughts and feelings. 
  • Gain a broad perspective.
  • Help others.

Check out the recording below for more details and examples!

Resources for Continued Growth:

MSU Office for Resource and Support Coordination have compiled guidance and external resources


From the workshop:

To support your ongoing professional development and encourage the application of these insights, I’ve compiled a list of resources:
  • Recording: In case you missed the session or would like to revisit it, you can view the full recording on MediaSpace (embedded below).
  • Slide Deck: You can access CTLI’s Preparing to Teach on Solemn Anniversaries slide deck which has Feb. 13 & 14th policies, educator guidance, an overview of the Spartan Resilience Framework, example phrases to acknowledge the event, recommendations for self care, and additional resources – along with reflective questions based in the aforementioned framework.
    •  In order to access the slides, you’ll need to log in to Google drive with your MSU credentials. If you haven’t done this before, you just enter your MSU email (@msu.edu) included in the “email or phone” box and google will automatically open Okta/single sign on. You can either log out of your personal Gmail account OR if you use Chrome as your browser, you can create a new “profile”.
  • Online Discussion: Based on the content of this session, you may be interested in exploring the Resources for Teaching After Crisis playlist (developed directly following 02/13/2023 violence) or sharing your own reflections for employing the Spartan Resilience Framework in the comments below. Login with your MSU netID to connect with fellow educators, exchange ideas, and seek further guidance.

    Photo by Renáta-Adrienn on Unsplash

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