I am in charge of a counseling program where a student has died in a car accident...?

Question

What would be some advice on what to be discussed in these classes? Any advice other than the normal "talk to the student"?

Answer 1

When addressing the entire class be sure to show your sympathy for the students family and friends. Then you should let the students have open discussion about how they feel. Address the reason for the accident and possibly how it could have been prevented. Make sure that any students who do not know excatly what happened have the proper information so that rumors of the accident do not get out of hand.
Answer any questions as open and honest as you can, but do not give any details that the school would see as inappropriate. The students are going to want to know what happened, why, and where. Some are going to ask about the student who died, some are just going to sit quiet and try not to cry. Let them know it is ok to feel and express emotion over the loss. Do not use the words "He/She is in a better place" most do not want to hear this, they already know it.
A loss of a student affects the entire student population whether they knew the student or not.
Also, make sure that, if the funeral has not happened yet, you have the details of the funeral and when and where the student population is invited to attend. If it has already happened, let the students that knew him/her talk about him/her. Let them tell the other students how the passed student was, what kind of person they were, what they did in the school or at home. Do not let students who hold dislike for the passed student speak badly of him/her. Let those students know they are entitled to their opinion but this is not the time or place to say such things about the passed Student.
I hope this helps and good luck. Sorry for the schools loss.

Answer 2

if you were truly a counselor you wouldnt be on here asking you would know