After an air raid alert or shelling, the school morning should not begin with a test — the Ministry of Education and Science has prepared recommendations for teachers
Kyiv • UNN
After air raid alerts, teachers are advised to begin the day with words of support. Stress can impair children's concentration, memory, and ability to learn.
After a night of air-raid alerts, teachers are advised not to begin the school day with tests and, during lessons, to take into account that stress may make it more difficult for children to concentrate and remember information. The Ministry of Education and Science recalled a practical guide prepared jointly with child and family psychologist Svitlana Roiz on supporting schoolchildren who have experienced trauma as a result of the war, UNN reports.
Details
The guide "Trauma-Sensitive Practices in School" contains recommendations for teachers on how to recognize warning signs in children’s behavior, respond to emotional manifestations, and organize learning so that it remains manageable and psychologically safe.
In particular, if a child starts crying during a lesson, teachers are advised not to draw the unnecessary attention of the entire class to them. Instead, they can conduct a short movement or stabilization exercise for all students, and later speak separately and delicately with the child to determine the reason for their condition.
Educators are also advised to take into account that prolonged stress can affect memory, concentration, and the ability to process large amounts of information.
Therefore, it is recommended that learning material be presented in small portions, activities be changed more frequently, pauses be taken, and lessons begin with familiar or relatively simple tasks.
Special emphasis is placed on learning after difficult nights with air-raid alerts and Russian attacks.
After an alert or shelling, schools are advised to begin the morning with words of support rather than a test or assessment. After experiencing stress, children may display either sluggishness and fatigue or increased activity, irritability, or aggression.
The recommendations note that unusual behavior in a child does not always indicate an unwillingness to learn or a disciplinary violation. For example, constant movement, rocking on a chair, or holding an object in their hands may, in some cases, help a child concentrate.
Practices that are recommended to avoid
Particular attention is drawn to possible triggers that may remind a child of shelling or other traumatic events they have experienced.
In particular, exercises that require closing one’s eyes are not recommended unless necessary. For a child who has experienced trauma, this may be associated with a loss of control over the situation.
Unexpected physical contact should also be avoided. Before hugging a child or taking them by the hand, it is recommended to obtain their consent.
During school celebrations and events, it is not recommended to use firecrackers, party poppers, balloons that may burst suddenly, or other effects involving sharp sounds. If such sounds cannot be avoided, children must be warned in advance.
Videos and educational materials about the war also require caution. Teachers are advised to check in advance whether they contain footage of the dead, blood, explosions, or sirens.
Aggression and bullying
The guide addresses children’s aggressive behavior separately. Teachers are encouraged not to limit themselves to prohibitions or punishments, but to try to understand the reasons for the child’s behavior and help them restore a sense of safety and interaction with those around them. To this end, the guide recommends using joint projects, volunteer activities, theater, music, and other group activities.
The guide also emphasizes that assessment can become an additional source of stress. According to a survey titled "In a Word," conducted with the participation of more than 50,000 children, schoolchildren named grades among the sources of stress, alongside air-raid alerts and explosions.
Context
The practical guide "Trauma-Sensitive Practices in School" was first presented by the Ministry of Education and Science and Svitlana Roiz in November 2024 as part of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program "How Are You?".
In August 2025, the recommendations on creating a trauma-sensitive educational environment were supplemented.
In particular, schools were advised to create "quiet corners," reduce visual and auditory noise, use gentler school-bell signals, and ensure that children have access to water and sufficient time to eat.
In July 2026, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the Concept for the Development of Psychological Services in the Education System through 2030. The document provides for the creation of a psychologically safe educational environment, early detection of emotional problems in children, and a multilevel system of psychological assistance in educational institutions.
Let us recall
Earlier, a child psychologist explained how to deal with difficulties during first-graders’ adaptation to school.