Blended Learning Journey

As an educator, I have avoided talking about dying in the classroom. Why? Because death made ME uncomfortable. Over the years, I have mourned WITH my students, and I have mourned FOR my students. However, I have also failed my students by not explicitly addressing this universal human experience with them. I didn’t know how to address it — until now.

Limitless: Confronting Death

The TV series “Limitless,” released by Disney in 2022, offers a poignant exploration of the realities of aging physically, cognitively, and socially. Throughout this series, Chris Hemsworth explores ways to combat aging and discover the full potential of the human body.

Most of us, we like to avoid speaking about death in the hope that we’ll somehow avoid it. We all have this belief that we’ll figure it out. Then to all of a sudden be told some big indicators are actually pointing to this as the route which is going to happen, the reality of it sinks in. Your own mortality. — Chris Hemsworth

In Episode 6, “Acceptance,” Hemsworth confronts the realities of aging and dying. He loses his independence as he transitions to an assisted living facility. A body suit from MIT hinders his bodily movement. Prosthetics and special effects alter his appearance, propelling him years later. He prepares for his own death.

Teaching About Death and Dying

Conversations about aging and death can be challenging to navigate. Below, I have briefly described how I will incorporate Ep. 6 of Limitless into my psychology class.

• Life Lessons: I ask students to record three “life lessons” or takeaways from the video. This allows them to create meaning from what they learned based on their own experiences. I recommend having them record their responses in Google Forms.
• Class Themes: I learned a neat trick from Dr. Derek Bruff at NCSS this year. After the students enter their responses on the Google form, export them to a Google Sheet. Then, copy and paste those responses (without names, of course) into ChatGPT or Bard with the following prompt: Identify 3–4 common themes in the responses. This is an excellent (and efficient) way to synthesize student responses.
• Individual Reflection: I provide the students with a list of words, ask them to choose one that best describes their reaction to the video, and write an individual reflection on why they chose that word. As mentioned previously, this is a hard topic for many people. I don’t always know what my students have experienced or are experiencing or how this will land with them. I want to provide them with a safe space to work through their emotions if needed.
• Optional Extension Activities: If time permits, I offer students the choice to complete one of the following activities: (1) Write a letter from the future to their loved ones, sharing their accomplishments, regrets, hopes, dreams, and words of advice, (2) Write a mock obituary describing how they want to be remembered, or (3) Research the 5 stages of grief and describe how they can be seen in the episode.

If you would like a copy of the handout that I use, you can access it here: “Limitless: Acceptance.”

Takeaways

Conversations about death can be challenging, but they are a natural part of the human experience. We, as educators, need to create a safe space for students to navigate their emotions and provide them with tools to cope with the challenging aspects of life. Here is some advice for navigating discussions about death:

• Be Upfront: Don’t blindside your students. Discuss what they are learning with them before you begin.
• Be Empathetic: Recognize that people may have varying beliefs, experiences, and emotions related to death. There is no “right” or “normal” way to react or feel.
• Use Open-Ended Questions: Encourage deeper reflection by asking open-ended questions that invite individuals to share more about their experiences or beliefs.
• Respect Cultural and Religious Differences: Understand that cultural and religious backgrounds greatly influence views on death. Respect these differences, and be open to learning about diverse perspectives.
• Provide Resources: If the conversation becomes emotionally challenging or someone needs more information, be prepared to refer the student to a trained professional. I like to give student services a heads-up when we cover potentially triggering topics.

Conversations about death are deeply personal, and individuals may navigate them in various ways. We must approach these discussions with compassion, openness, and a willingness to learn from one another.

I hope that you found these resources to be helpful! I would love to hear from you! How do you address difficult conversations in class? Please share your responses in the comments below.

Be Well,

Cori