Teacher Checkup BY AIDEN VELEZ
Not only have students been struggling to adjust to the new schedule and in-person learning after months on end of nothing but screen time, so have teachers been going through similar struggles. This year teachers have had many additional responsibilities due to COVID-19, such as new technology, teaching online, new safety precautions, adapting to schedules, helping students with their ever changing needs, and now combining teaching online and in person in real time. Dr. Andy Sandiford, English teacher, said the biggest difference for him is the “reduction in the volume of work I am able to complete. Essentially, I have lost about two weeks of instructional time. On a physical level, the required seating arrangement with students in columns and rows is a huge departure from my circular arrangement by modules or cohorts.” Craig Mohr, wind symphony director, has had to physically move his classes outside near the SSB under a tent, after moving from both the junior high basketball field and behind the junior high gym. Science labs have also had to make major adaptations. Caren Hall said, “I have tried (sometimes successful, sometimes not) to figure out how to do labs remotely. I’ve had to put a lot more resources online. I make and record lectures a lot more than I used to.” Then, the transition back to inperson schooling brought more changes with the expected flood of
students returning to the high school campus. Sandiford stated that a benefit of Zoom was that every student’s name was clearly visible and easy to read. Sandiford likes to refer to people by name and Zoom made that goal easier for him. Mohr appreciates the return of his students for in-person wind symphony.
“Seeing real,live human beings rather than just their faces has given me a lot of joy!” - Mohr Hall has found the flood of students to help her personally with feeling more happy. “I sleep a lot better now that I’m on my feet all day. The days are a bit longer. I laugh a lot more now that I can hear all the little side conversations. I feel happier and less depressed.” After a year of online or HyFlex learning, teachers have mixed feelings about the possibility of repeating it again next year. Sandiford believes efficient educators can make the necessary adjustments given enough time to prepare, and in such those changes can be effective.” Mohr strongly disagrees with the idea of doing HyFlex learning for the next school year given all the complications he has had to face with wind symphony. Hall claims that attention between two student groups is hard and difficult for a teacher to feel like one group is getting less attention than the other. Her idea is that there should be teachers who have expertise in Online teaching and teachers who specialize in on campus learning. Beth Robertson, typing teacher, said it’s a challenge “keeping track of both groups of people” is a challenge with HyFlex learning. “If remote students join Zoom late, I don’t always
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hear it and let them in right away. Thankfully most of my students are in person which makes grading so much easier.” Like students who have experienced a lot this year, so too have teachers learned a lot. Sandiford believes that he has received evidence of change amongst himself and students. “I have been given definitive evidence of the nature of my limitation related to the knowledge of the future and speed of change on a personal and community level. I have also learned that it is never too late to learn.” Like students who are dealing with personal struggles, like loss of loved ones, sickness, and other personal issues, so have teachers. “In combination with COVID, I have also had to deal with cancer and my cancer treatment program and fitting it in around school. That has added to my load,” Robertson said. Hall has learned that she is not as introverted as she thought and has learned to roll with the quick changes from this school year. Mohr is happy that human interaction is becoming the new normal again and appreciates his students’ creativity. Mohr wishes it was more predictable and consistent stating, “I am craving predictability and consistency.” Mohr wishes it was more predictable and consistent stating that “I am craving predictability and consistency.” Teachers have gone through their challenges, rough patches, struggles and hardships along with their students in the process of transitioning back into on campus learning. “It is essential to be flexible in a crisis. Trees that do not bend are uprooted in a storm; those that give a little stand a better chance to survive,” Sandiford poetically said.
