REFLECTIONS ON 9/11 - 25 YEARS LATER

I can hardly believe that it's been a quarter-century! On that fateful morning, the cloudless blue sky seemed to stretch to infinity. It was absolutely beautiful. The excitement of the second day, of the second full week of school was underway. I drove just above the speed limit to get to school early. Waiting for the light to change, memories of the previous night's conversation with my oldest son who was away at college made me burst out laughing. Although my youngest son was a little shy, he had made a friend at the bus stop and they were on their way to middle school. All seemed right with the world.

The plan was to arrive early, write the day’s lessons for my 3rd-5th grade students on the board, and call a few parents. Just as I pulled into the school parking lot, my favorite Stevie Wonder song, AS, blasted on the radio. The only thing I could do was grab my water bottle/microphone and sing along...I'LL BE LOVING YOU ALWAYS!

Then it happened. From the parking lot, my fellow teachers and I could hear the principal's voice boom over the intercom ,“ATTENTION TEACHERS, YOU ARE NOT TO TALK ABOUT THE INCIDENT WITH ANY OF YOUR STUDENTS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!” So weird. What incident? As I approached my classroom, a strange sense of dread came over me. But I wasn't sure why.

About fifteen minutes later, I learned about the event that changed the country and the entire world, FOREVER. Two planes had flown directly into the Twin Towers, right across the river from New Jersey and eventually both towers toppled to the ground. A mixture of shock, sadness, anger and most of all, fear rocked our entire school.

Throughout that school day, time shifted and we heard bits and pieces about what had happened. Unfortunately, several students were picked up early because either their mom or dad worked at the World Trade Center. Some of those parents Never...Returned...Home. It was a grim, horrendous, heart-wrenching day that I will NEVER forget.

Did you know that books have the power to help children process difficult life events? They absolutely do. Consider this, read to your students or a child you know, to comfort, inspire and support the healing process. Here are a few titles about that fateful day. As the country stops to commemorate the 25th anniversary of that dreadful day, read one of these books or find one of your own, to honor the lives that were taken and to help children gain perspective about 9/ll.

September Roses (FSG, 2004) by Jeanette Winter is a small touching book about two South African women (on their way to a flower show) who were stranded in the aftermath of September 11 with a thousand of roses. The women use the rose petals to create a memorial in Union Square. The book demonstrates the way people responded after the tragedy. Pre-3

America Is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell (Flashpoint, 2011) from Don Brown's Actual Times series. It is a straightforward and honest account that moves chronologically through the morning, from the plane hijackings to the crashes at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania. Middle Grade

With Their Eyes: September 11th--The View from a High School at Ground Zero (Collins, imprint of Harper Collins, 2011) edited by Annie Thomas. A collection of powerful spoken word essays written by high school students who witnessed the tragedy unfold. High School

Hug your child, be kind to your students, do what you need to do to get through this day and beyond. For me, I chose not to watch any of the memorials. It's still too painful.

Remember, reading has the power to soothe the soul.

Please share this message with someone you care about.

I care about you!

In honor of the children,

KP Carter

The World's ONLY Readologist