During the pandemic educators stepped into a role that was more closely tied to home life than before. We saw our students’ homes via Google Meets or Zooms, we reminded our littles to change out of jammies before “coming to class”, and we heard the background noise. For some families the background noise was pleasant or null because class was in session, for others the TV was blaring and the background conversation drowned out little voices trying to share questions or answers.
The amount of time spent talking to families outside of contract hours became overwhelming in a large urban district. I became a point person for breakfast, lunch, and “learning packet” pick up locations. I was the IT representative even though there were phone numbers, emails, and offices set up district wide for students and families who needed assistance with Microsoft Teams. Here’s the thing, I was happy to do it all, and I was also struggling to delegate from my living room. When a working parent calls you on their break to determine how they should explain to their aging mother how to sign a seven year old onto the computer, I wanted to show up for that parent, I wanted to help, and I wanted to put eyes on the child. I also wanted to eat dinner with my husband and not feel constant worry about my students and their needs. The further away we get from the pandemic and the school shutdowns, the more I am able to process how difficult it was for me to be away from my classroom, my colleagues, and my students.
As a teacher nothing was more welcome than returning to the classroom in person; however, many districts are leaning into the opportunity to build remote programs. So many students across different districts can benefit when an opportunity can pop up on your laptop, think foreign language offerings, cultural studies, and peer revision in writer’s workshops. The Washington Post has an interesting article on the subject, you can find it in my relevant reads for March 2021.
Teaching, Leading & Learning 