I have been friends with Don for a number of years. I met him back in 2010, when he was organizing a “comic-book reading club for adults”, and hosting it at a branch of the Milwaukee Public Library. We’ve been friends ever since then and I am so glad to call him “friend.” He is a high school English teacher, and with the ongoing pandemic, that has brought a number of challenges to his profession. I recently asked him about that, and how things went this past school year…
How long have you been an English teacher? How long at your current school? What was a normal (pre-pandemic) schedule like?
I’ve been an English teacher since 1994. I have worked in MPS since 2006 and have been at my current school since 2010. My normal schedule is made up of alternating A Days and B Days. Each day, pre-pandemic, I would teach three 90-minute classes and have one 90-minute prep period. I teach three sections of English 11 year-round, one section of AP English Language & Composition year-round, and two semester-long electives: two sections of Science Fiction in the fall and two of British Authors in the spring. English 11 is on B Days and the other classes are on A Days.
When did things really start changing in 2020, and what was that like, from a teacher-perspective? Did you feel like you had a handle on things, and could share good info with your students?
On Friday, March 13, 2020, Governor Evers declared a public health emergency in the state of Wisconsin. I was not at work that day because of a planned absence, so my last day inside of my classroom and school building was March 12. The original plan was to break for spring recess a week early and see how things looked at the end of that recess. I would not be in my building at all for over two months and in-person learning did not resume until April of this year (albeit with only some students electing to come back into the building with the overwhelming majority choosing to remain virtual).
I returned to the building for a few hours one afternoon in May 2020 to clean out my classroom for the summer. My district’s first priority was making sure students were fed, as more than half of MPS students receive free lunch or lunch at a reduced price. They also prioritized gathering and/or creating learning materials for elementary-age learners.
Before the end of April, high school teachers were instructed to focus on two groups: students eager to do AP (Advanced Placement) testing in May and students in danger of failing. Considering the extraordinary circumstances (a global health emergency with a severely botched response from the U.S. federal government), I thought that was entirely reasonable.
What was the shift to virtual-teaching like? How steep was that learning curve (had you ever done anything like that before?)? Did it take long to get comfortable with virtual teaching?
From a technical standpoint, it wasn’t too bad. I had participated in a handful of teleconferences before the pandemic, but never in an educational context. I am relatively comfortable with computers and technology, so the learning curve was minimal. It did not take long to get comfortable, but it took a while until I felt like I was doing a good job. I was always learning new things and making improvements.
Did you see any benefits to your students being virtual? Were there students who did BETTER because of virtual schooling?
Some students clearly thrived as virtual learners, students who were introverts and/or particularly tech savvy. Two students with IEPs (Individual Education Plans to address learning disabilities) were two of my best students in the two elective classes I teach. Both had me for Science Fiction in the fall and British Authors in the spring. Some of the students who floundered were the social butterflies and the big-man-on-campus types, as well as students who seek attention with negative behaviors. The physical context in which they were accustomed to seeking validation simply disappeared.
Were there any aspects of virtual teaching that YOU enjoyed?
“Enjoyed” is a strong word. It did teach me a lot, that’s for sure. That’s the positive takeaway. I learned a lot about technology and how to use it to reach students. I also learned the limits of technology. I would never want to repeat last year, but if I had to I could. I think I am a much more agile teacher because of the experience.
A big part of school is socializing – how do you think being virtual affected YOU and your students? Were there efforts to create a sort of virtual-socializing for students? Or do you think they managed that on their own?
I have sometimes characterized the 2020-21 school year as a “semi-sabbatical” because emotionally speaking it was less draining. Much of the traditional social/affective aspects of the job disappeared and were greatly minimized. I almost never dealt with misbehavior, off-task behaviors, or acting out. Class was about the content, but it could feel a little bloodless some days. It was very difficult to generate rich discussion. It was tough to invite participation and promote engagement. I really miss connecting with students, greeting them, smiling at them, cheering them up with a high-five or a fist bump or a dumb joke. Many students withdrew socially. I don’t even think I (or any of my colleagues) will truly realize just how emotionally devastating this past year was for students until we see them in August. As an adult, I was able to create and use healthy coping mechanisms to combat the isolation of quarantine. I’m lucky to be married to a funny woman (who also worked from home) and we had a new dog to distract us. To be a teenager during this, when, developmentally speaking, you’re craving validation from your peers? It’s tough to imagine what that was like.
How do you feel about going back to in-person teaching? How is your classroom different?
In April of this year, teachers were ordered to return to their classrooms. We taught in a hybrid style, with some students in the classroom and most still virtual. I think this was a mistake on the part of the district and the school board members who voted for it. We should have finished the year using a completely virtual model.
As far as returning to in-person teaching with all students back in the building, I look forward to it, as long as it’s safe. I think most teachers would agree that virtual teaching was necessary, but not desirable.
Do you have any thoughts for the Fall semester – any ideas for how you hope things will be?
I am cautiously optimistic, but I am concerned about vaccination rates. I don’t think anyone wants to revisit full-time virtual teaching. Vaccinations can prevent that.
What do you wish people understood about being a teacher – from a virtual and/or in-person perspective?
My witty wife (who is not a teacher, by the way) likes to say, “Teachers: the cause of and solution to all of society’s ills.” I simply want some politicians and some segments of the public to stop demonizing teachers, to stop using us as scapegoats. We work with all children of the community. We meet those kids where they are at and work hard to raise them up. We love our jobs and want the best for your children.
A BIG Thank You to Don for his time, thought, and friendship. I know, without doubt, that our community is better because he, and people like him, are teaching our children.