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During the writing and revision process of GIVING UP THE GHOST, I learned of sad necessity much about loss and grief that I wish I had learned as a child. Unfortunately, our dysfunctional culture passes from generation to generation many myths about these two subjects. As a result, I had to "unlearn" many common misconceptions that made my own healing journey more difficult. Helen Fitzgerald, American Hospice Foundation's training director of the "Grief at School Program," has been most generous and supportive in vetting content of my new middle school presentation, "Good Grief: What Kids Need to Know about Loss and Grief" in which I share the story behind GIVING UP THE GHOST, as well as what I wish I had learned about loss and grief when I was in middle school. The "Grief at School" handouts in PDF format on this page are used with grateful permission. Of special interest to teachers, parents, and librarians: Click on my own "Children and Grief" school visit handout, which includes the Six Myths taught by John W. James and Russell Friedman of the Grief Recovery Institute and outlined in their books When Children Grieve and The Grief Recovery Handbook (Harper Perennial).
THE LANGUAGE OF DEATH: ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS from American Hospice Foundation's "Grief at School: A Manual for School Personnel." Used with permission. Wordfind (1 page, PDF) Crossword Puzzle (4 pages, PDF) |