TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Many Americans know exactly where they were and what they were doing on September 11, 2001.
But more than two decades have passed since the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington D.C., and a new generation of Americans, not yet born on that historic day, has no personal memory of those events—or what it was like to see that tragedy unfold on national television.
I spoke with one teacher about how she teaches her students the events of 9/11.
Moani Keala Kanae, a 6th and 8th grade teacher at Tucson Country Day School on the east side, starts this particular lesson with a question:
"I ask students, 'what do you know about September 11th?'"
The class reads a book written by students in Minnesota called "September 12th: We Knew Everything Would Be All Right" and then have an open discussion about 9/11.
Kanae says, "sometimes they have misconceptions or twisted realities." She says it's likely because they're so detached from the events of that day.
"I was alive during this time, which to students, I think having that perspective and having the connection helps them understand."
While at the school, I asked one of her students, Amare Palomino, what he knows about 9/11: "Many lives were lost that day," he tells me.
He says it's something that makes him think about the world we live in.
"It's always a good thing to know about history, because history will repeat itself if it's not prevented," says Palomino.
Kanae hopes her students learn about respecting history and the heroes from that day.
"And remembering those who died that day," Kanae says. "I think that's the biggest thing with teaching this."
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Tina Giuliano is a reporter for KGUN 9. She is a native Arizonan and grew up in Scottsdale. Tina is passionate about storytelling and is excited to work telling Tucson's stories. Share your story ideas and important issues with Tina by emailing tina.giuliano@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
