Experiences of Teachers During Covid

Teachers on a normal day-to-day basis have their problems they will deal with from kids not paying attention, being disruptive, missing class, and now to having to figure out how to teach during a pandemic and dealing with the issues that come along with a pandemic. 

Every teacher has their own different issues they have to deal with as well. 

Some teachers aren’t as tech savvy as others and struggle with that side of teaching virtually. Other teachers are struggling with kids doing their work and keeping them engaged. 

Even each school district is a little different with the areas they struggle in. 

Ben Burling, middle school teacher at Ripon Middle school, says it’s been far from normal and in his area his school is one of the few in the district to teach in person. 

At first when the pandemic started, Burling felt that the safety protocols set in place were good and that this could work, but as the pandemic has raged on, he has become more nervous and anxious. “I’m hanging on by a thread,” said Burling, as he tries to remind himself to just take it one day at a time.

Burling is worried about his students. He is having issues with teaching students virtually, especially teaching in a low-income, high poverty area where students have issues accessing computers. 

He is also worried about his students with special needs who struggle with simple things like reading, if he can’t always be there in person to help them, it makes him worry more. 

The pandemic has been affecting the teachers adversely and it hits burling at home hard because teaching runs in his family. “I grew up in a family where my dad is a principal, a coach, athletic director. My parents’ friends are teachers, so I’ve always had an appreciation for teachers,” said Burling. 

“At a young age I was exposed to helping people and teaching them and that’s what I have wanted to do since.”

Each school district and teacher will have different issues that they run into and not all teachers will have the same experience.

Susan Bond, elementary school teacher, at Richards School, in Whitefish Bay has different issues she faces teaching 5- and 6-year olds. Richards school decided to do a hybrid style where half of the students are in the building twice a week. Parents are given the choice if their kids go to school or not. An all virtual option is available if parents don’t feel safe sending their kids. 

Then every Wednesdays no students are in the building and that day is all online for them, where they will be given assignments to do at home on the computer. 

Bond this year is doing all her teaching virtually. She has 21 students that never come to school and do they live virtual sessions that last three and a half hours. 

“When this all started, the unknown of virtual teaching was stressful, but it has gotten better now,” said Bond. It’s working lots of hours and preparing lessons. Since we are at home most of the time it’s very easy to get distracted and put work off to go clean up the house or turn the TV on for a bit. 

Bond is surprised how fairly engaged her students are, especially for them being 5- and 6- year olds and being at home with distractions too. She says that at times parents who are at home with kids can be a bit distracting with helping them but for the most part her students seem independent and able to follow along. 

At other times, it’s harder to get the kids involved or to get them to pay attention, to help with this Bond will read a couple chapters to the kids, they will share news and talk about what’s going on in their lives or play 20 questions. 

“In a normal year, and if it’s a rainy day, we would skip writers’ workshop to have fun or mix things up,” said Bond. It was easier to get the kids involved than it is now, if it’s a rainy day and the kids are stuck inside and have to sit in one place, while learning on the computer. 

“I have got a lot of positive feedback from parents,” said Bond. Teaching students online during the pandemic has help shown parents the stress that the teachers and students are under right now.