Nearly ten years have passed since the horrific events that occurred on September 11, 2001. This upcoming Sunday will be a day of remembrance and unity for millions of Americans who witnessed the events first-hand or on live television. But what of today’s children, who were either too young to comprehend the day’s importance or not yet born?
Ira David Socol, a Ph.D. graduate student in special education at the Michigan State University College of Education, reminds educators everywhere that it is crucial for students to reflect on the terrorist attacks that forever changed the world.
In a blog post for the New York Times, “Why September 11 Must Be in Our Classrooms,” Socol and co-writer Pamela Moran argue that teachers and students must examine the attacks in critical, multidimensional ways in order to preserve the day’s historical significance.
“We must engage our young people in the construction of history,” they wrote. “In this century, we are all historians, researching, comprehending, assembling, reporting and storytelling.”