When discussing the ALICE strategies with students, it’s important to remember which of the following? Select all that apply. Some parts of the ALICE program are not applicable to students. When discussing the ALICE strategies with students, you must explain both the “why” and “how”. All ALICE strategies are applicable to all students. You must discuss the ALICE strategies with students according to their age and ability levels.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Based on the principles of the ALICE active shooter response training program, the correct answers are:
- Some parts of the ALICE program are not applicable to students.
- When discussing the ALICE strategies with students, you must explain both the “why” and “how”.
- You must discuss the ALICE strategies with students according to their age and ability levels.
Explanation
The ALICE program is designed to be a flexible, options-based set of strategies, not a rigid, one-size-fits-all plan. The effectiveness of the training hinges on adapting the information to the specific audience, especially when teaching children and teenagers in a school environment.
A crucial aspect of the training is discussing strategies according to age and ability levels. The way you would explain lockdown, barricading, or countering to a high school senior is fundamentally different from how you would teach a first grader. For younger students, the concepts are simplified and framed in non-threatening ways. For instance, “evacuate” might be compared to a different type of fire drill, and “counter” might be explained as making loud noises and moving around to cause a distraction, rather than engaging an intruder physically. This developmental appropriateness ensures the message is understood without causing undue fear.
Because the training must be age-appropriate, it follows that some parts of the ALICE program are not applicable to all students. Advanced barricading techniques or the more physical aspects of the “Counter” strategy are suitable for older, more capable students but would be inappropriate and inapplicable for young elementary school children.
Finally, explaining both the “why” and the “how” is vital for effective implementation. Simply telling students “how” to do something, like pile desks in front of a door, is only half the lesson. Explaining “why” they are doing it, which is to slow an intruder’s entry and create more time to escape, provides critical context. Understanding the purpose behind an action empowers students to think critically and adapt their response using the resources available to them in a real-world crisis, rather than trying to recall a memorized script under extreme stress.
