Online Schooling

INTRODUCTION

Mrs . Newbacker needed a large coffee today . As she climbed out of bed and got ready for work, she was fighting off the tethers from a late night of grading papers . The crisp air nipped gently as she stepped outside and opened her car door . She felt a slight sting on her face, but it was nothing compared to the stress and anxiety she felt as she thought about her classroom . She was seeing a range of issues from her students, and she was struggling with how best to support them . There was Martin, who was always exhausted in the mornings because of having to stay up late tending to his baby sibling . There was Carly, a bright, overachieving perfectionist who, if she made one little mistake, would repeat negative self-talk to herself about her abilities . There was Matty, who lived in a hotel, and whose favorite pastime was making rude comments to his peers, and also Josie, who struggled with learning disabilities and who was mocked by her classmates, despite Mrs . Newbacker’s efforts to stop the bullying . Each day, it was a toss-up regarding when, not if, students would argue or yell at each other . Drama among students constantly interrupted her teaching, and all of it was creating a chaotic classroom and making teaching difficult . Sometimes, she was elated if she finished just one lesson plan . Mrs . Newbacker knew she needed stronger classroom management, but it was hard to enforce rules when students came to school beleaguered by their home lives . It was difficult to develop structure while also helping students navigate the stressors they faced . She had worked out a flowchart that reflected best practices in classroom management, but she often found it hard to discipline a student who she knew was dealing with significant life trauma . Sometimes she let it go, and other times she felt like she was being harsh . It was exhausting, and Mrs . Newbacker wasn’t alone . Lunch in the staff lounge was often filled with fatigued teachers sharing their frustrations and strategies .