Resources for Educators, Families to Discuss Global Issues and Conflicts

With 24-hour news cycles, information sharing across social media channels, and our interconnected world, our students have easy access to and awareness of global issues and conflicts. 

As a result, educators are grappling with decisions on what to address with their students. This challenge is particularly pronounced amid the increased polarization that seems to accompany every issue.

Despite the difficulty of these topics, it is important to acknowledge that students are often already aware of such events and are naturally curious about the causes and impacts of these crises, both on a global scale and within their local contexts. Providing opportunities for students to explore and discuss these issues in the classroom is essential to empower our young people to analyze complex problems from diverse perspectives, foster critical thinking skills, and prepare them for active participation in civic life.

As with all difficult topics, educators should be keenly aware of the emotional impact these events have on students. Teachers should pay close attention to students who may have family members in the particular region, students with family members in the military, and students who might be worried about how these crises might impact them here in the United States. SDCOE has also developed educator resources on specific topics, such as the conflict in Gaza and the war in Ukraine, available in our Resource Guide Library. 

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Teaching Tools Links to Learn From Social and Emotional

The resources in this guide are intended solely to provide access to information. Their inclusion is neither an endorsement nor a recommendation by the San Diego County Office of Education.

Teaching Tools

Before beginning a discussion, it's helpful to consult resources for conducting class discussions, such as Fostering Civil Discourse by Facing History and Ourselves, and a Framework for Reflective Practice, developed by Dr. Judith Pace based on her research on civil discourse in highly divided societies. These resources are designed to assist teachers in minimizing the risk of conflict during class discussions. 

Explore Multiple Perspectives

In discussing global events, students should be encouraged to explore multiple perspectives. An effective way to do so is by employing a framework such as the four domains of global competence presented by the Council of Chief State School Officers and the Asia Society:

• Investigate the World
• Recognize Perspectives
• Communicate Ideas
• Take Action

The California Global Education Project provides additional resources to help students engage with these domains.

Investigate the Broader Historical Context

Students, especially older students, also benefit by investigating the broader historical context of these events and the role foreign policy plays in guiding how nations might respond. Teachers can guide their students by helping them explore topics such as:

• How does one global event compare to others? 
• How do geopolitical issues affect the United States? What is the extent of its obligation to respond? How are decisions made regarding the response? What are the debates about ways to respond? 
• What is the role and authority of the president (as well as other institutions such as congress, the media, etc.) in shaping foreign policy? How does this compare to heads of state of other countries? 

 

Links to Learn From

Developing Contextual Understanding for Adults

Educators wishing to learn more and develop a deeper contextual understanding of the current conflict with Iran might review some of the articles and publications by the Council on Foreign Relations, The Atlantic Council, or the RAND Corporation.

Current Events

• AllSides: This news source is dedicated to presenting current events from multiple perspectives; it provides the latest news from sources that lean right, centrist, and left.
• C-SPAN Classroom: Educators can access video clips, lesson plans, and other resources related to significant current events.
• Facing History and Ourselves: Current Events: This toolkit provides educators with tools and strategies to integrate current events into their curriculum. 

Civics, Government, and History

• iCivics Foreign Policy: War and Peace and Everything In Between: These lessons help students understand what foreign policy is and how it operates in the American system of government. 
• The Gilder Lehrman Institute for American History: Gilder Lehrman provides a searchable list of their lesson plans, essays, and reading guides, which can be sorted by “Global History and US Foreign Policy.” 
• National Museum of American Diplomacy: This source provides lesson plans that help students understand diplomacy and the role of diplomats in international issues. 
• Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective: This program at The Ohio State University provides free resources to help place current events in historical context. 
• PBS Learning Media - Global Learning and Awareness Collection: This collection focuses on major global issues. 
• PBS Learning Media - American Foreign Relations and Policy: This collection focuses on major global issues through the lens of U.S. foreign policy. 

 

Social and Emotional Learning Resources to Support Youth

Our students want and need to talk about what they see, remember, and are feeling now; they need the guidance and safety of adults in their home and in their schools to be able to navigate their own emotions and trauma in a healthy, safe, and productive way.

• Helping Your Students Cope With a Violent World: Edutopia article features strategies for helping children make sense with historical perspective, feel empowered, and inspire them to feel hopeful.
• How to Talk to Kids About Violence, Crime, and War: Common Sense Media gathers tips and conversation starters to help you talk to kids of different ages about the toughest topics.
• Unicef - How to Talk to Your Children About Conflict and War: These eight tips are useful for family members and educators when talking to children of all ages. 

There are a variety of general mental health and wellness resources and activities in the SDCOE Virtual Wellness Center.

For Elementary and Middle School Students

• Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of elementary school children: This article from the American Psychological Association can help adults guide their young children beyond fear and to resilience.
• Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of middle school children: The American Psychological Association breaks out tips and strategies for parents and teachers of middle school-aged children.

For Military Families

• The San Diego County Office of Education creates and curates resources to support military families and students and schools that serve military children. 

Trauma-Informed Resources for School Systems

• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network provides resources that can be filtered by topic or keyword and by audience with a focus on how adults can identify traumatic responses in young people and how to support them. 

 

Return to the Resource Guide Library