Chapter 1: Recognizing student grief
Common signs of grief in the classroom
“She used to have a sunny disposition but lately I’ve been noticing she gets easily agitated with her classmates and sometimes she becomes emotional over seemingly small things that would never have bothered her before.” - Teacher
Look for changes in behaviour, performance or personality. You’ll need to observe and consider whether or not this is a new behaviour and how it might be related to a student’s grief. Here are some examples of behaviours and signs you may notice in your classroom.
Click on the arrows.
Difficulty concentrating, daydreaming, increased distractibility.
Forgetfulness, confusion.
Irritability, impatience, frustration.
Body aches, fatigue, changes in weight or appearance.
Clumsiness, increased accidents/injuries.
Regression, increased dependence and need for attention.
Clinging/affectionate behaviours with teachers and adults (particularly younger children).
Heightened sensitivity, emotional and physical volatility.
Avoiding talking about the person who died.
Concern/hypervigilance about other family members. Wanting to call home frequently.
Death-play/preoccupation with death.
Withdrawal/decreased interest/increased passivity (e.g., quitting things, not trying).
Under- or over-achievement.
“Big” behaviours (noisy outbursts, anger, physical aggression).
Alcohol or drug use.
Tip
Grief will very likely complicate any existing challenges, such as an illness or disability. Also, a student’s response to a new loss will be affected, positively or negatively, by any previous ones.
See also:Supporting Bereaved Students at School (2017). Edited by Jacqueline A. Brown & Shane R. Jimerson. Oxford University Press.
