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K12 Teaching in 2020

Today I drove home from work with my rock music blasting at higher decibels than, I'm sure, was healthy. But I needed a heavy beat loud enough to feel it vibrate in my chest. I'm not a drinker, but if I were, today would be a three-glasses-of-wine day.

And there's no specific reason.

Except that I'm only a month into the school year, and I'm already exhausted.

And I'm not alone.

All you parents out there who are concerned about the style, quality, amount or any other qualifier of education your child is receiving this year, I can guarantee you that an entire team of teachers, administrators, and support staff is just as worried.

We're doing our damnedest to meet your (and our!) expectations.

Right now, I'm barely keeping my head above the water line. I am the kind of personality who plans things out. I visualize my dive into the deep end, consider all possible complications, and then perform a smooth breaststroke from one side to the next before any of the other competitors even think about leaping off the platform. But this year, I am barely doggy-paddling in place.

Again, I'm a month in and already worn out. Why? Because everything changed this year. This year, I am expected to provide the same quality of education to the students sitting in front of me as I do for students who are learning from home. And that changes everything.

I ended my day today with a last-minute faculty meeting, which primarily revolved around the principal asking what are currently our biggest challenges. Unanimously, the vote was "time." There's just not enough time to accomplish everything at the level we expect ourselves to perform.

This experience is my own, but I know aspects of it are shared by a large percentage of my colleagues. The details may vary, but the experiences are the same. Most of the issues revolve around a lack of time. So let me share with you how my - and my colleagues' - time is spent.

Online students are always going to struggle more than in-class ones to understand the concepts. As much as I try to replicate the classroom learning environment, I won't be able to. I still want to help my at-home students learn and understand, so that means individualized attention to clarify concepts. This includes online conferences, emails, and other forms of digital communication. This year, I have probably received 3 to 4 times the emails on a daily basis from students and parents asking how to complete an assignment. And each of those emails deserves a personalized, prompt response. And that doesn't even include the "checking in" emails that I initiate. So I'm often sneaking moments during class while students are completing individual work to respond to emails just to stay on top of the workload. My district has created a schedule to allow us 45 minutes per day to help online student in meetings, etc., but not every district is so accommodating. And it's still not enough. Bottom line: more time answering questions.

Most of the country, I believe, has shifted to at least a partially online format. I'm lucky because I have three things going for me: I'm pretty tech savvy to begin with, my district has provided opportunities in the past three years to receive additional online training, and I started putting several things online last year. But I'm more of the exception than the rule. Because I believe in the concept of karma, I jump in to help my colleagues who are struggling because they don't have the digital experience I do; I want their classes to be successful too. And even with my experience, things don't always work like they are supposed to, and every program has its own quirks that you have to learn to work around in order to get the utility out of it that you want. Bottom line: more time learning how to utilize unfamiliar digital resources.

Online is not an option anymore; it's a necessity. But it requires a lot of time in preparation. I am a seasoned teacher that can usually make rough plans with notes on my resources, which only require a projector hooked to a computer and a white board. I am able to teach an in-depth lesson from this info because I've done it multiple times, and I know my material by heart. Of course, I tweak it each time to be more effective than the previous, but it usually doesn't require a lot of time-consuming preparation. But going online means I have to either pre-record those same lessons, (so it's like teaching an additional class), or record myself while teaching. If I choose the second option, I'm still spending time editing the video for both content and to protect student privacy, so I don't get into legal trouble. Bottom line: lots more time preparing.

All those worksheets I've gathered and collected and edited over the years? Useless. Since spreading papers can potentially spread germs, I have to severely limit the papers I use. And I cannot utilize students in passing them back or down rows. That means I have to convert worksheets into some sort of online format. And those worksheets that ask you to circle, highlight, write in correct punctuation, all those things you do that aren't easily answered by a multiple choice question aren't easy to convert. That doesn't mean they are impossible, but I often have to completely redesign them. Bottom line: more time converting to a workable electronic format.

And another thing significantly affected by necessary Covid-related restrictions - all those good teaching practices? You know, the ones that really help a student internalize the lessons and information? Out the window. Kaput. Unacceptable. For example, one of the most effective teaching strategies is to have students discuss, collaborate, and work in small groups. Because of the risk of exposure, that's not an option this year. Or least for not longer than about 10 minutes with very small groups. Bottom line: more time rethinking and re-evaluating all my lesson approaches and activities.

One aspect that many people not in education don't consider is having enough adult bodies in the building. Prior to this year, we were already in a substitute shortage. Many of these substitutes traditionally have been retirees. Out of an abundance of caution, teachers are staying home with even the slightest symptoms of sickness in order to protect those around them. Because of conditions caused by Covid, we have far fewer substitutes available, and an even greater need. So what happens when teachers are out sick and there are no substitutes available to take the classes? Other, healthy teachers give up their preparation periods in order to cover classes without teachers, which just backlogs them even more. Bottom line: more time helping and supporting my colleagues.

And none of these things even begins to mention the time needed to attend to personal matters like helping my children stay on top of their own schoolwork (Which I have failed at the past two weeks, and am now trying to help play catch-up); manage family event/activity/sport schedules (I'm lucky I'm not a single parent); care for my yard that has been neglected for a month (long lawns, and dead-heading roses, anyone?); prepare dinner each night (Eating out again?); participate in other community organizations and meetings (Oh, yeah, I was supposed to have that response to you a week ago. Whoops; my bad); or even my own exercise, sleep, and other modes of maintaining my health (Five hours is enough, right?).

Are you sensing a pattern here?

Some people advise us to just let go, not spend so much time on everything. After all, we're not actually paid for all that extra time we're putting in. But how are you supposed to let go when you feel the weight of the future on your shoulders? I know that sounds dramatic, but I also know that is how A LOT of teachers feel. And which part would you like us to let go? The quality of education your child gets? The attempts at real-life experience or application we provide? The critical thinking we push your student toward? Or maybe its our own needs that are insignificant. Like sleep or health or well-being? The general maintenance of our household? Or perhaps memory-building with our families? Which ball do we drop?

I'm not sharing this to seek pity. I'm sharing this because I feel there is a large group in society that takes a lot of flak in silence. I think that the experience of teachers needs to be voiced simply to share a perspective not many understand.

Really, what I'm asking is to cut your children's teachers some slack. If you've never done it before, please voice your appreciation to teachers this year above all others. Even you don't agree with the grading they've done, or the policies they apply, or the way they teach, or the assignments they give, please recognize that they are busting their butts to help your children learn and grow with limited options to help all of them feel successful. I'm not saying, don't express concerns regarding your child. But I am asking to address them with a little compassion for the stress level the teacher is experiencing. This pandemic has everyone worried about their families and how they will fare through it all. Teachers are worried about their own families too, but they are adding into that worry the families of every one of their students. That number can range from 20 to 200 families, depending on the age group.

But small, simple things can make such a difference. At my school, we were forwarded a letter today from a Utah politician. In the past, I personally have not been impressed with this person's policies when it comes to education. But his letter expressed his appreciation - and more importantly, his understanding - for the struggles we are facing today. It was a bright spot in the day, or at least a little less dim. And at another point, a student made a silly, corny joke, but I laughed like he was the greatest comedian in the world simply to have something to laugh about.

So drop a line every now and then. Believe me, teachers hear plenty about all the things they do wrong; rarely do they hear about what they do right. And this year above all others, they need your appreciation, support, and concern - and at more than just Christmas or end of the year.

Thank a teacher in an email. Send along a joke. Make a small gift. Just let them know that you recognize their efforts too.

Comments

  1. Very articulate, as always. I hope that you can keep your head above water.

    ReplyDelete

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