Putting the "Teach" in "Teaching Greg Abbott a Damn Thing or Two!!!!!"
Putting the "Teach" in "Teaching Greg Abbott a Damn Thing or Two!!!!!"
Five teachers on what it is like going back to school in this new era of the pandemic
Earlier today (to prepare for this newsletter, actually), the FDA granted full approval of Pfizer’s Covid vaccine, showing once again the power E4P wields.1
As students and teachers prepare to return to school in the coming weeks, the prevalence of the Delta variant is making everything feel a little reminiscent of March 2020 with rampant uncertainty, inconsistent mandating, and intentional neglect.
Schools are becoming the primary battleground for people who want to go back to normal but don’t want to do their part in helping us get there, and teachers are getting caught in the firefight. In Texas, 1,000 people in a single school district are in quarantine following a massive Covid exposure due to Governor Greg Abbott’s ban on mask mandates in schools. Similarly, in Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis has gone a step further by threatening to withhold salaries for any school board that tries to enforce a mask mandate in their district.
Although the Texas Supreme Court has temporarily allowed mask mandates to remain in place and Florida’s biggest school district is calling DeSantis’s bluff, these two states are the most extreme examples of how politics are superseding safety in schools, putting students and staff directly in harm’s way.
This week, I talked to five different teachers across three states about how they feel about returning to school at this current moment, what they’ve learned and experienced by teaching through the pandemic, and whether or not their states are doing enough to protect teachers returning to the classroom.
These five teachers are incredibly important to me and I cannot thank them enough for responding, much less for doing their jobs during the very scary past year and a half (although I’m going to try by profusely texting them all after this).
If you have any teachers in your life, fucking thank them. Like right now, before you read anymore. And then read on and thank them again.
What class do you teach/ which students do you work with?
EM: I taught 7th grade ESL [English as a Second Language] for 2 years. Now 8th grade ELA [English Language Arts]
TM: 7th grade Social Studies
MS: 5th Grade Inclusion Class (Special Education students and General Education students)
DK: Middle School Special Education
KS: High School English (various courses/levels)
What state do you work in?
EM: Massachusetts
TM: Massachusetts
MS: New York
DK: New York
KS: Connecticut
What is your state's back-to-school mask/vaccine policy?
EM: The state hasn't announced anything for a mandate yet so far I can tell, they're leaving it up to districts. Holyoke (where I work) just announced mandatory masking for all adults and kids.
TM: All students and staff are required to wear masks (regardless of vaccination status) while in the building. We are being directed to socially distance 3ft when possible, but that is not possible at all with all students in classrooms (we don’t have room to space desks like that with full classes).
Also, as of right now all students are coming back into the building— the only virtual option is a district-wide online school and if you do that, you’d be completely separate from whatever school you used to attend.
MS: As of now, our state has left the decision to the individual districts to make decisions regarding mask/vaccine policies. At this point, our district has not made a decision.
DK: As of 8/18/21, New York State is allowing the mask/vaccine policy to be determined by individual school districts. As of this date, my district has not announced its plan for the 2021-2022 school year.
KS: Currently, masks are required up until September 30, when Governor Lamont said he will review the data. On August 19, the governor also announced that ALL CT teachers are mandated to be vaccinated or test weekly. I’m interested to see how this plays out as a "mandate.”
Are you comfortable with your state's back-to-school policy? Do you feel safe returning to school in the fall?
EM: I'm happy with the Holyoke mask mandate, especially since there is uncertainty around how many teachers/staff and middle schoolers are vaccinated.
TM: I mean... kind of?
This is hard to answer for me because on one hand, things are clearly still a mess and the Delta variant and low vax rates almost have me ready to start hibernating again (in my district, vax rates are below 50%). But on the other hand, I do remind myself I am vaccinated, a majority of my fellow staff are vaccinated, and I am comforted some by the mask mandate.
I do want to be able to provide in-person instruction for students if we can (of course if it’s safe for everyone. Which... I don’t know). Students at the end of last year (when we came back into the building but about half of the students were still at home) were really, really good about mask-wearing, which to be honest was a relief and makes me feel better about the fall with masks.
Unfortunately, too many of our school community has been impacted by COVID, so it’s not something kids were messing around with.
MS: I am uncomfortable due to the uncertainty of things. The more information we have as teachers the better prepared we can be.
For example, if students are wearing masks, they can be closer in distance, which would allow for small group instruction. If students are not wearing masks, I need to find ways to safely provide individualized instruction and meet their academic needs.
DK: I feel that allowing each district to formulate its own plan is not a safe way to control the spread of Covid-19.
I feel that parents are putting too much pressure on the administration to make a decision that best suits their “wants” rather than take into account the safety of all involved in returning to an environment where not everyone is vaccinated.
KS: I have been fully vaccinated since February, and all members of my household are now vaccinated; a very good percentage of my high school students are vaccinated, so if we taught last year with masks, social distancing, etc., but WITHOUT being vaccinated, then I actually feel a bit safer this year.
What do you feel is the safest way for you and your students to teach and learn?
EM: In-person, masks on inside, 3ft or further apart. I'm a bit unsure if my school has the capacity to keep kids 3 ft apart given spacing concerns, but fingers crossed.
TM: Honestly, I don’t know. Definitely not my area of expertise, and I’m conflicted. I guess safest, nothing else considered, would just be to stay at home again.
MS: With the current information we have on the Delta variant, I think it would be safest to require mask-wearing. In an elementary school, students cannot be vaccinated (they are all underage). I believe that since they don't even have the choice to get the vaccine, we need to provide them with an option that has proven to be effective.
Last year, my students wore masks all the time while in the building. When students had to remove masks to eat their lunches, the kids were split between two classrooms to allow for social distancing.
DK: I feel that following CDC guidelines for vaccinations and masks, if necessary, would be the safest. That doesn’t necessarily mean I feel it is the most “optimal” learning environment, but I believe we need to put the safety of our students and staff first.
KS: For sure, NO REMOTE TEACHING/LEARNING!!! It is the most UNHEALTHY and least organic way of teaching and learning.
Considering the circumstances and the current data, wearing a mask is a small sacrifice if it means I get to have all of my students in person. However, the masks ARE a challenge in that they inhibit natural human interaction. I miss the smiling, laughter, even the smirks and annoyed grimaces of students— it's all part of the learning process and a way for me, as a teacher, to gauge how students are feeling in class.
I do await the day when we will get to see each other's faces completely, and smile as we pass one another in the hallways.
Are you more nervous about the Delta variant and how it may affect your students?
EM: Yes I am more nervous, especially for those who are not getting vaccinated.
TM: Yes, definitely more nervous, just because of the fact it’s been proven to be so much more contagious.
On top of that, while some students I teach can/have been vaccinated, many can’t yet (because they’re under 12) or they may not be, so it’s definitely concerning. Plus there are sixth graders that are almost all too young, and we obviously share a hallway with those students. (Not to mention younger siblings of all students.)
I know studies have found kids are less transmissible or whatever the correct term is, but they definitely still can so it’s concerning.
MS: I am nervous about the Delta variant.
Although I have my own anxieties about the virus, I will work to make my classroom a safe and welcoming environment. I know it is my job as their teacher to not only teach my students the content but also support their social and emotional needs.
DK: Yes, many of our students and or their siblings are ineligible for the vaccine, and it is my understanding that the Delta variant is more easily spread and more serious for children.
KS: I am nervous for younger children who do not have the option to be vaccinated. I have been reading some terrible stories of youngsters who are being left with permanent lung and cardiac issues from COVID, and the vaccine does make this level of infection preventable.
What has been the hardest obstacle(s) you've encountered while teaching during the pandemic?
EM: Mental health crises— for EVERYONE!
Students in middle school isolated at home for an entire year struggled a LOT, understandably so. Adults who were responsible for teaching them, checking in with their families, holding them accountable to their academics, but most importantly letting students know they were loved ALSO struggled with their own mental health concerns and the health of their own families, and the amount of time spent on Zoom certainly did not alleviate any of that stress.
TM: Oof.
To keep it brief: definitely student engagement. I don’t mean this in a negative way towards them— it was just a reality because of what they had to deal with.
Also, time (turning everything virtual, learning new things, trying to teach effectively!) and work/life balance and boundaries, stress, and Zoom/screen fatigue.
MS: As a special education teacher, I need to be in close proximity to my students to support their academic needs. Prior to the pandemic, I was able to utilize small groups, hands-on support, and provide shared manipulatives to support learning. Throughout the pandemic, the inability to utilize these methods has made it difficult to provide the support necessary for the diverse learners in my classroom.
In addition, this past year, the 5th-grade team did not have enough sections. Therefore, our classes were split into two cohorts of smaller groups to allow for social distancing. 5th-grade teachers were required to go back and forth between the cohorts. Teachers would teach a lesson to one cohort while a teaching assistant monitored independent and meaningful work with the other cohort.
DK: Constantly changing and inconsistent protocols, the division of people’s views on everything related to COVID-19, protecting myself and my family as best I can, while still performing my job duties, and lastly, the reinvention of traditional teaching methods (and the resistance of some to “get on board”) to accommodate the needs of our students.
KS: REMOTE TEACHING!!!
Do you wish you had more support while teaching during the pandemic? Who do you feel you need the most support from?
EM: Yes, but honestly I'm not sure that more support was the answer. If anything, I wish the administration had listened when the staff collectively was burnt out in February and said "this is too much, we need to dial back for the kids' and adults' sake."
I wish we had cut out a lot of unnecessary stuff or made more adjustments to the systems in place given community feedback.
TM: Like support from the general public? Not that that’s why we do what we do but it was disheartening and frustrating for people to at first praise teachers sooo much but then turn around and demand we do such and such and expect such and such. And for some people to still have issues with the basic safety measure of having their kids wear masks... ugh.
Also, governments using reduced funding as a threat for schools not going back in person mid-pandemic ?!?!? F*ck that so much.
MS: My district did a nice job providing support for technology development.
We have technology specialists and Chromebook distribution that allowed teachers to create appropriate lessons with the use of technology. However, the lack of information and detailed guidance for higher-up administrators contributes to teacher anxiety.
As the school year approaches, I still feel very much in the dark about the plan for this year.
DK: Yes, I feel the division between many parents and the administrators leaves the educators “in the middle.”
There are also instances where certain educators try to passively “make a statement” by not performing their job duties to the fullest, while others go above and beyond to do their best in a less-than-perfect environment. My opinion is that if you are not comfortable returning to in-person learning, then make a choice to remove yourself from the situation until you are comfortable teaching to the best of your ability.
Sadly, too much of this has become a political issue and not a global health issue.
KS: I don't think the central office administrators truly understand what it was like to teach remotely and in masks. It was like doing two different jobs.
I teach 4 different courses (2 sections of junior English, freshman English, Journalism, and Creative Writing), and when classes are divided into cohorts, that basically makes 10 sections for me and 10 separate Google Classrooms! It was the hardest year of teaching in my 21 years of teaching.
On top of juggling all of that, a very good number of my students struggled with mental health issues this year. There were days I would spend hours just trying to reach a remote student because I hadn't seen him/her online in class in several days. There are also students I NEVER MET IN PERSON ALL YEAR LAST YEAR!
Other days I would try to get some kids just to turn in work or show up to class, but they were struggling and hurting. I spent the second half of the year focusing on SEL [social emotional learning] and my students said they were truly appreciative.
Do you think your state is doing enough to protect you and your students as you return back to school?
EM: El oh el, no. But this isn't a COVID-related issue— it's a systemic and historical issue that's been brewing for YEARS.
Communities similar to the one I work in are historically underfunded and therefore have a large lack of basic resources (like computers or air ventilator systems), and have schools that are located in gross buildings with poor ventilation and too tight spacing, to begin with.
TM: I think they are trying, in that masks are required. I’m not really sure beyond that, to be honest.
MS: At the end of the 2020-2021 school year, our district removed the plexiglass from the desks. I am unsure about their plan for this upcoming school year. Without guidance from the district, I am not confident that there is an effective plan to protect the teachers and the students.
DK: Again, by New York State allowing each district to formulate their own policies and protocols, is creating too much inconsistency state-wide.
KS: I guess so...
What is the biggest change (positive or negative) that you've noticed in your students since the start of the pandemic?
EM: The students that I had this past year (during COVID) craved human connection and positive relationships. When we did re-enter the building for hybrid learning this past spring, they were so excited to be around their peers AND their teachers that they contributed so positively to their community, both in their behavior and academics.
I hope this appreciation for being together will continue to be a theme for this incoming school year's group of kiddos and that they are reminded of the importance of what a strong relationship-oriented community feels like.
TM: Honestly, the answer is upsetting. A lot of them have been dealing with a lot, and so many of them are dealing with mental health as a result. I can’t imagine being their age and going through this, and for so long. They are detached, they are experiencing profound loss, they’re taking on more responsibilities, they aren’t getting critical social interaction.
However, on a brighter note, they are so resilient. To be able to talk and joke with them, seeing them persevere and reflect and grow, in school and just as people, is amazing, for sure.
MS: One positive change I have seen in students is their appreciation of school. This year, I felt the students were excited to be back, they were eager to learn and they appreciated the teacher. Also, students are being given the opportunity to utilize technology in a meaningful way. Providing students with technology is helping to prepare them for the future.
However, there is a gap in students learning due to the time spent virtual learning and away from in-person schooling.
DK: Sadly, because of the restraints and guidelines that need to be followed to ensure the safety of students and educators alike, the quality and creativity of the lessons being taught are suffering.
On a social level, students are definitely suffering.
KS: Mental health is a crisis right now!
What is the biggest change (positive or negative) that you've noticed in yourself since the start of the pandemic?
EM: I am now extremely rigid in the boundaries that I set in my profession. I know many people in different industries experienced this during the past year, so I'm not alone.
I worked more for my job this past year than I did the year before. Working from home caused a complete lack of boundaries and families/admin/students all reached out to me with requests at all hours and I felt obligated to complete them since I had "nothing to do at home." That created burnout SO QUICKLY that I am now a firm believer in separating work time from my personal time, especially since teachers do most of their work outside of work hours anyway.
I now set clear communication boundaries with co-workers/admin, vocalize when a request is broaching a boundary, turn my email off after 5 pm, and only stay an hour late each day to grade papers (no other work comes home to my apartment with me).
I love my job but life is TOO SHORT. Time outside of school is time for me to spend with the people I care about, doing what I care about, and taking care of MYSELF.
TM: Gooooood question.
I think I’d like to say that I’m more reflective (a positive) and have realized slowing down can be a good thing. I am also trying to make more positive change —key word trying— in myself and the world around me, largely because I am more distraught about the state of the country and the people in it, in many ways, than I was before. A lot of that ‘change’ definitely has to do with examining issues of privilege and white supremacy, and that’s a whole other conversation to have.
Some of it is directly pandemic-related, though. This is all connected to the reflection aspect, I think. At the same time, I’ve been trying to find ways to hold hope— it’s a discipline, right?
To swing back to the topic of this survey, a lot of that hope comes in the form of my students.
MS: I have felt more anxious about going to work. I worry often about getting sick or bringing the virus home to my young son.
On a positive note, I have reflected on my ability to adapt to change. This pandemic has required teachers to move away from the traditional teaching methods and their comfort zone to safely provide instruction to their students. It reminded me that with each year, teachers need to adapt their methods to meet the needs of the students.
Teaching is about learning, getting creative, and preparing students for a successful future.
DK: Restricting my socialization and definitely more of an awareness regarding my interactions with people and the environment.
KS: I am a shell of the teacher I once was.
I have lost a lot of my passion and energy, as I tried to just get through each day. My body is physically exhausted-- I needed a new eye prescription, I had to get regular neck massages, my other hip "the good one" is horrible now from sitting so much, and I started cortisone injections. I am a mess!
Plus, my own children struggled with the remote learning; my 6th grader developed anxiety and depression, so I also had to wear my "mom" hat, and make that a priority, all while having over 100 students who also needed me.
I. Am. Beat. Up.
Is there anything else you want to discuss that wasn't asked here?
EM: Everyone praised teachers as one of the many "COVID heroes" during the first wave of the pandemic. Don't forget that this year counts too and things are not back to normal for educators and people who work in education. Say thank you to an educator you know and I promise it will make their entire week.
Also, pay us more. :)
TM: I do not want to hear the term ‘learning loss’ being used!!! Especially in front of/with students. UGH. NO. Please do not.
MS: I want to point out the benefits of technology in the classroom. However, I do not feel that it replaces the need for in-person learning. Technology is a tool to support learning but needs to be implemented in an intentional and meaningful way.
DK: I think you’ve touched on all pertinent aspects of teaching during a global pandemic. Thanks for your interest in my opinions.
How are you doing today?
EM: First day on the new job has me fired up in a good way!!!
TM: I love that this question was required. I am tired bc I got up early but am fine! Enjoying a few days before the school year starts up again
MS: Today was a good day. I worked with a student 1:1 and it was nice to be back and interacting with kids in the summer.
DK: 😊
KS: Feeling stressed when thinking about how to plan for the first week, actually!
Again, thank you a billion to these five teachers for everything that they do. They are phenomenal people outside of their jobs, although their line of work requires them to be phenomenal every day as well.
Please, just be considerate of others. The only way out of this is through taking steps that not only protect ourselves but that protect others, too. I know this part of the newsletter isn’t the flashiest but if you’re still here and reading, go out of your way to do something nice for someone else this week.
Wear your mask, get vaccinated, and take care of yourself. 💛💛💛
Samantha Jaloza’s interview pushed Cuomo to leave office— pass it on.