ABSTRACT
Grief, although a healing process, does produce anxiety in the grieving individual and may impact friends and classmates as well. The effects of anxiety on school work have been demonstrated by a number of researchers, including Gaudry and Speilberger [ 11 (this work was among the first to identify the link between level of anxiety and student achievement) and Behrens et al. 123 (this study was among the first to describe the impact of loss on elementary school children in a school setting). Students experience a shorter attention span and difficulty in concentrating which may be accompanied by a drop in grades. In varying degrees, many of these students perceive themselves to be “helpless” in coping with crises. They may show signs of depression, increased episodes of daydreaming, or they may withdraw from socialization with peers. These students also report somatic complaints more often than their peers. All of these possible disruptions in the learning process and classroom routine make a teacher’s role more difficult. Ignoring these very real difficulties being encountered by students will only magnify their effect. Aftercare is not only important for those in funeral service, it is a concept that clearly has a place in schools and the education process as well. However, although many of the tasks of aftercare take place following a death, the time to prepare to carry out these tasks is before the death occurs.
