Quality Insights of University Teachers on Dying, Death, and Death Education

Abstract

One of the main responsibilities of teachers is to help individual students cope with life difficulties such as grief following a death. However, very little research explores teachers' views on death, dying, and how they handle grief and loss in schools. This study aims to explore university teachers' knowledge and attitudes on dying, death, and death education. Fifteen university teachers were recruited using a qualitative method. This study reveals that most teachers' views on death and related issues are largely affected by their death experiences, religious beliefs, professional background, and the mass media. Although they have a general negative response toward death and dying, some teachers begin to affirm their meanings of life and death. Most teachers agree that they do not feel adequate about managing and teaching on life and death issues, so they strongly support including death education in the formal programs in Hong Kong.

Teachers' Perception of Grief in Primary and Secondary School Students in Spain: Children's Responses and Elements which Facilitate or Hinder the Grieving Process

“…Some of the participants stated that they felt uncomfortable and helpless when intervening in processes of grief and loss with the students. Literature shows that, even though there are authors who point out that teachers are willing to offer their help (Potts, 2013), there is generally a deep sense of discomfort when dealing with death and grief (Alisic, 2011;Mak, 2012), as well as rejection, bargaining, depression, shock, disbelief, sadness, and feelings of guilt (Mak, 2012). The teachers who have to deal with death and grief report a lack of training on this subject (Lane et al, 2014;Potts, 2013), in spite of it being a common experience.…”

“Mourning With the Morning Bell”: An Examination of Secondary Educators’ Attitudes and Experiences in Managing the Discourse of Death in the Classroom

“…One aspect of preparation that teachers mentioned was that education could not help them with was that each death would be different for them personally, and even course work or best practices could not help them know how they were going to react in each situation. Mak (2013), however, found that only people who had significant background education with death and dying were ready to address death in the classroom. Since none of the participants in this study have a strong history of death education and the majority claimed they were not comfortable discussing death, it is logical to assume that death education at least partially prepares teachers to discuss death in the classroom.…”

“…Like death, dying also has a negative connotation. To some, the dying process is long, painful, marked by disease, sickly physical appearance, and the deterioration of the mind and body (Mak, 2013). Wittenberg-Lyles (2006), however, interviewed hospice care volunteers who had worked with dying patients to gain insight from their experiences.…”

“…Callahan (2000) proposes that one's own death is usually viewed negatively because it is the end of one's life (as cited in Wittenberg-Lyles, 2006). In addition, Mak (2013) finds that responses to others' deaths were overwhelmingly negative as well, provoking such feelings as fear, shock, sadness, and pity. While these prior studies found that death is predominantly viewed as a negative life event, Semino, Demjen, and Koller (2014) explain that deaths could be viewed as good or bad.…”

“…From these findings, the reader concludes that while death is predominantly viewed as negative, positive end of life events, conversations, and support could change an individual's perception about the death of a loved one. In addition to views on death, Mak (2013) clarifies that our relationship to the deceased impacts feelings of loss. Presumably, the more intimate the relationship with the deceased, the more the loss may affect survivors.…”