Educators Respond To Covid-19

For educators, Fall brings excitement and anticipation. After Summer’s rest and rejuvenation, and perhaps a little professional development, most welcome a new school year.

But this is 2020.

Covid-19 obliterated spring lessons plans and now poses more questions than answers for the 2020-2021 school year.

Last May, while educators wrapped up a highly unusual semester, I prepared a keynote address for an August Early Childhood Educators conference. Since I did not teach last year,  I needed to hear from those emerging from the trenches. So I conducted a survey. Although the event was ultimately cancelled, the information gleaned through the survey proved invaluable with messages worth sharing.

This article includes a summary of responses, highlights of answers to questions such as “What will administrators need from teachers this fall?” and the flip side, “What will teachers need from administrators moving forward?” I share if/how the Covid-19 (C-19) crisis affected their self-esteem, their view of God, and their feelings regarding the future. All quotes from the survey (italicized) will remain anonymous as promised.

 

The Participants

217 educators completed the survey. They included teachers (early childhood through high school), principals, early childhood directors, a few teacher assistants, special education teachers, and guidance counselors with varying degrees of experience. Teachers represented the majority of participants (72%). Representation from both private and public educational institutions participated from 27 states across the country.

 

 

Technology Use Prior To and During Spring 2020

Clearly, shifting from classroom education to on-line learning with little or no warning proved most challenging. Just how great was this shift?

 76% of participants used technology 25% or less during a normal school year.
32% of teachers included technology only 10% of the time prior to C-19.

By May, 95% of educators were using on-line tools such as Zoom or Google Classroom. The remaining 5% utilized e-mail or physical packets to share materials.

Obviously, the C-19 situation stretched the skills of our teachers and administrators. Throughout the survey, I frequently read “I didn’t sign up for this!” or “I was not trained to be an on-line teacher” and similar statements.

 

Over Half of Teachers Struggled with Self-Esteem Issues

Being pushed beyond our skill set can either rattle our self-esteem or propel our confidence, or both. How did our educators respond?

61% of teachers admitted this event challenged their self-worth professionally. Some recurring comments included:

“Is what I’m doing worth it?”
“It was hard to find meaning in my teaching without the direct interaction with my students.”
“Am I different from some computer?”

The repeated refrain: “Was it enough?”

However, I would be remiss not to mention the 39% who responded positively to this question. Here are a few encouraging words:

“Although it was hard at first, I grew in confidence!”
“I saw my role as a teacher was still valuable, and it was my job to prove it.”
“It challenged me to think differently about how I approach my subject and my students.”
“Collaboration with colleagues has been key to success.”

Indeed, 20% of teachers admitted looking forward to incorporating new technology this Fall.

 

How did C-19 affect Educators Personally?

57% expressed negative reactions to C-19, one even calling this “an extremely dark and hard time.”

Others described:

“Heightened anxiety.”
“I felt alone in this journey.”
“I question if parents see me as valuable.”
“Feelings of helplessness and nothing really matters anymore.”
“I feel like I’m not important.”
“Stress and separation has worn me down.”

The most common answer in this section of the survey had to do with teachers who also had children at home:

“It was difficult to juggle teaching responsibilities and teaching my own children.”
“I worked 7-9 hours a day and had to ignore my own children.”
“I feel like a terrible parent.”
“I felt like I was failing it all.”

Wow. Powerful words.

We can take heart, however, that 43% held fast to their value as person:

“My worth is not determined by earthly events.”
“I realized I need to dive into tutorials more.”
“I still am a Child of God!”
“This helped me move from finding my worth in work to (finding it in) JESUS.”

At a recent virtual writing conference, author Jason Reynolds reminded attendees “Writing is what I do, not who I am.”

Teaching is what we do, not who we are.

 

 

How did Principals/Directors Respond to the Question of Self-Worth?

45% of administrators answered negatively. Like teachers, many questioned whether they were doing enough:

“Am I doing the right thing?”
“Am I needed?”

While others believed “I was needed more now than ever and felt a need to step up.”

In fact, 55% responded positively:

“It challenged me to find new techniques, it opened new opportunities.”
“Made me even more dependent on God.”
“My self-worth is based on God putting me here to accomplish his Work.”

Administrators also shared personal feelings of isolation and loneliness, being humbled, and frustrated. One stated, “Flat out anger.” And another, “I’m not sure what to do with my life.”

Yet most Administrators (59%) struggled less than teachers with their personal self-esteem stating many benefits to working remotely and keeping in mind our value in Christ:

“I feel better personally. I enjoyed more time at home.”
“I worked on self-care and Bible study.”
“My self-worth is dependent on what God thinks of me.”

 

And Speaking of God…

During extreme trials, we commonly question God. Have you noticed that? Even if we do not consider ourselves “religious” we question, “Why is God letting this happen?” or “If there is a god, why won’t he stop this?” So, I asked the questions “Has C-19 challenged your faith and affected your view of God?”

76% of Educators answered positively to “How has C-19 challenged your faith?”

“I believe it made my faith stronger.”
“Still fully trust in God.”
“It revealed idols in my life.”
“Being self-reliant just wasn’t sustainable.”

24% reflected a negative impact on their faith as they were not able to attend worship or receive communion.

The related question, “How has C-19 shaped your view of God?” produced 97% positive responses such as:

“We still have a loving God. He has a reason for everything.”
“God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

The most repeated phrase included “God is still in control.” Amen! Yes, He is!

Still, we need to be cognizant of the 3% who are struggling, who question God and continue to wonder why this is happening. One comment stood out:

“My struggle has been with my Christian friends who are against the health recommendations. How do I respond to them?”

Let us be mindful of our witness. It is possible to share our faith in our trustworthy God and still acknowledge the fears, concerns and questions we possess and those of our colleagues and friends.

 

What Teachers Learned about Students and Families

When answering “What did you learn about the families?” this statement summed up the majority of responses:

“There were two camps; those who cared, those that didn’t.”

Here are few other comments:

“Many (families) struggled raising children and trying to balance work. My heart broke for them.”
“They need a lot of grace.”
“They are busy and trying. They need us to partner with them.”
“There is little to no Jesus at home.”

One resounding message communicated by most teachers involved their deep love for their students. They grieved when the school year ended abruptly and could not say good-bye in person. They genuinely care about each student and family.

I want to thank you, teachers, for your commitment and endurance.

As do the administrators.

 

What Administrators Said About their Staff

80% are proud as peacocks describing their teachers as “amazing, creative, dedicated, team players, resilient, rose to the challenge, and willing to go above and beyond.”

Of the remaining 20%, a common theme resonated. Just as the teachers witnessed their school families fall into two camps, so did the administrators:

“This crisis exposed much.”
“It sorted the team players.”
“Some were willing to step up the challenges and others were not.”

 

Summary

To summarize, I asked all participants to choose the statement(s) their best describe their experience.

Please take note of the 5% who may need professional counseling. In addition, 6% percent added a desire to quit in this section of the survey.

Though all have suffered to some degree, this experience has certainly not been the same for everyone. I hear the cries from the inner-city schools who did not have technology available to all their students. I empathize with my Early Childhood colleagues who, when forced to abandon the key ingredients to educating young children (hands on learning and social opportunities), they then doubted the value of their work. I sympathize with those who entered the year with pre-existing conditions, such as illness, anxiety, or depression. It has been difficult for some and excruciating for others. The same will be true for returning students.

Moving Forward

What do Principals and Directors need from their teachers this fall?

Two clear answers won the day:

1. Flexibility
2. Trust

As a pastor’s wife, I witnessed the struggle my husband experienced especially during the first weeks and months of C-19. This event presented major adjustments to every institution in our country and world, sometimes daily! One could barely adapt to one change before another followed. Just as the crew must trust the captain of the ship in the middle of the storm, so we must listen for “all hands on deck” and prepare to “batten down the hatches” when the call comes.

What do the teachers need from their administrators this fall?

The teachers shared these repeated themes beginning with the most numerous answer:

1. Clear Leadership, direction
2. Support and encouragement
3. More tech support/training and app subscriptions
4. Communication
5. Clear expectations for staff
6. Patience/Understanding/Flexibility
7. Trust/Unity
8. Prayer/Devotional time (CHECK OUT THIS RESOURCE!)
9. Expectations of students and help with behavior

 

Closing

We can all examine these results in light of our own situation. We can ask similar questions and discuss these issues in our own context.

• Where do I need to be patient?
• Where can I improve communication?
• How can I listen?
• Where is trust weakened?
• Who can I encourage?
• How can we support one another?
• How can we navigate the unpaved path and face the unpopular decisions yet to be made and still maintain unity and trust?

You will find a way. Behind the masks, beyond the disagreements, we are a people who care, struggle, learn, get up, persevere, and press on.

We have a loving God who sees this uncharted water before us.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”     (Joshua 1:9)

WE ARE NOT ALONE! Now more than ever we need to be on our knees in prayer to the One who has placed us just where we are “for such a time as this.” (Ester 4:14) Let His Word be our compass and His presence be our strength.

As one teacher put it, “We are history makers.”

 

***** I invite you to leave your comments below. Did this article reflect your feelings? If you are a parent, what surprised you about this content? This will not be the last word on the subject as Covid-19 and its affects on our schools continue. Please subscribe so you don’t miss further blogs! *****

 

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