Educators Supporting Families in Times of Crisis: Military Reserve Deployments

With the large number of National Guard members and reservists being deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, public educators find themselves endeavoring to support the emotional and academic needs of military children and their families. Military children may exhibit behavioral and emotional difficulties during these deployments. Educator awareness of the factors impacting the adjustment and resiliency of deployed reservists’ children, their unique needs, and academic, emotional, and behavioral supports can ensure these children’s educational success. In this article, the authors discuss issues of needs, recommend supports, and provide resources for educators. They also present examples of schoolwide, teacher-focused, student-focused, and family-focused supports and describe activities that educators can incorporate into specific instructional areas.