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We had just started back to school the Thursday before 9/11. I was teaching second grade at the time. One of my volunteer mothers Lori, who I knew very well came into my classroom right before 8:00. Her husband was a pilot for American Airlines and he was also a member of their crisis team. Her face was white; I asked her what was wrong and she confided in me that her husband had just gotten a call to report to work because one of their planes had just hit one of the World Trade Center towers. Something in her voice told me that this was more than an accident.
Shortly after 8:00, my principal came over the intercom and called for a "Code Red" lockdown in our school. I had to lock my students, Lori, and myself into my classroom, close the blinds over our windows, and take attendance which would be sent to the office. I was then to continue teaching "as normal." Our principal then told all teachers to not turn on televsions or radios in our classroom and to log in to our computer for an email message that would be coming shortly.
My students understandably became alarmed during our Code Red. I reminded them of the fire drill we had just had the day before and explained that we were practicing a different type of safety drill. I remember changing my schedule to allow the students time to do their learning centers so that I could monitor the computer for the message my principal had promised.
Finally, about twenty minutes later, I received the email. The teachers were informed about the two planes hitting the World Trade Center and the fear that this was an act of terrorism. We were reassured that Chicago and its suburbs did not appear to be a target, but that we would continue a modified Code Red lockdown for the rest of the day. We were told to keep the blinds closed and that students would not be allowed outside for recess or p.e. classes. However, we were now free to move around in the building -- this was a big relief because as soon as the lock down was called, my students all decided they needed to use the restroom.
I continued my day as "normally" as I could with my students. When lunch time finally came, I was able to go to the school office to find out more about the situation. At that time, I found out about the plane that hit the Pentagon and Flight 93 which went down in Pennsylvania. During this time, I also heard that the White House was on fire, which of course turned out to not be true.
Going back to spend the afternoon with my students after finding out all of this information was very difficult. The decision was made by my school district administration that we were not to share information about what had happened with our elementary students; that delicate task was left to their parents.
I remember leaving school immediately after getting word that all of our school buses had made it safely back to the transportation department. I went home and sat in front of the television watching the news coverage for hours. I remember sitting and crying but not being able to pull myself away. I kept praying that an announcer would come on and explain that this was all a mistake and that none of it had really happened.
It was very difficult teaching in the classroom on September 11th; however, it became even more difficult in the days that followed because my students were confused and wanted an explanation of why these terrible things had happened.
Being in my classroom yesterday on the eighth anniversary of September 11th, it struck me how odd it was that none of my students have actual memories of 9/11. They were all born after that day. The students know only what they have been told. My school had our first spirit day of the year and asked students to dress in red, white and blue to recognize Patriot Day. The principal started the day with a reading to commemorate the anniversary over the intercom followed by a moment of silence. During the day, I read the book On That Day, A Book of Hope for Children to my class to discuss why we celebrate Patriot Day. We followed the story up with a social studies lesson from our curriculum about what we can do to be good citizens.
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