COVID has completely changed the way the world operates. It has affected how we interact as people, how we learn, how we do jobs, how we celebrate big events (baby showers, birthdays, weddings), and more. The area most impacted by COVID has been education.
Setting
With the COVID-19 shutdown in March, the physical setting of school has changed in several ways.
Virtual or Building
Over the summer, teachers and administrators received detailed, intensive training on how to meet students’ needs during a global pandemic, both virtually and in person. This training was needed, regardless of a global pandemic. With the uptick in technological needs, the training teachers and administrators received was a lifelong necessity.
Since March 2020, students have been learning virtually. Initially, schools were thrown into the new process, and lessons weren’t well-developed. Teachers and students struggled with how lessons were presented in late Spring 2020. Students who were already behind in grade level fell even further behind, due to the lack of time teachers had to prepare for the national shutdown.
504 and Special Education
It appeared that students with 504 and SpEd needs were indirectly left behind. Although teachers tried to adapt to the needs of those with special circumstances, it was impossible to provide all the necessary tools with minimal training and preparation. Case managers of 504 and SpEd students did not know how to provide many accommodations. Some accommodations came naturally, such as: extra time, eliminating answer choices/shortened answer choices, and oral testing.
Parental Support
Parents and/or guardians weren’t sure how to provide for their students’ educational needs. It may seem easy to hover over a student to ensure they complete work, but completing work and learning are two different concepts. USA Today provided a great insight into how students and parents/guardians are struggling to meet their students’ special education needs.
Choices and Growth
This year, campuses received an option to start virtually or in person. Daily Voice talks about how this could be the new normal, which I agree with. Some states allowed their districts to delay the start, while other districts chose to go against their states’ wishes and risk losing funding. Many campuses chose to offer a combination of in-person and virtual options. This presented new challenges (how to account for true attendance, when work is due, lessons delivered virtually and in person, what to do with students who do not complete work, how to handle special circumstances, password lockouts, eLearning platforms crashing, etc.).
Even though this was a more successful start than in March 2020, and most teachers were better prepared to handle the curriculum, some still struggle with the new methods expected of them. Older generations of teachers struggled with uploading materials, making videos, using eLearning platforms, and the like. Districts tried to hire a fresh round of employees (teachers, technologists, coaches, etc.) to support these struggling learners and replace teachers who left due to COVID.
Workload
One of the challenges of the global COVID-19 pandemic is the increased workload for teachers, administrators, coaches, technologists, and case managers.
Before and Now
Teachers were already facing an uphill battle with documentation for state and federal guidelines, but now they are facing additional documentation due to the choice to be virtual or in-person. Refinery 29 offers valuable insight into what teachers faced at the beginning and middle of the pandemic, directly from teachers. Teachers were already required to provide lesson plans, substitute plans, emergency substitute plans, teacher input for 504 and SpEd students, tracking of accommodations, parent or guardian contact, tracking of work submissions and/or failures, and attendance.
In addition to all of this, teachers around the world are now required to meet additional documentation requirements for the campus and/or district to receive funding. A student going to the nurse now requires documentation that had never been an issue before due to COVID. A student who is not submitting work online requires more documentation than an email or a phone call home. Teachers are now tracking how much a student has completed virtually, providing in-person and virtual tutoring, logging Zoom or Google Meet meetings for in-person and virtual classes, teaching simultaneously in-person and on Zoom, and maintaining discipline in in-person and virtual classes.
Technology Experts
Teachers have also become the first point of contact for technology issues, with the expectation that they know how to resolve them. Teachers have faced password lockouts, password resets, Microsoft 365 or G Suite not loading in eLearning platforms, Zoom or Google Meet not connecting, work not submitting to eLearning platforms, work not opening on these platforms, these platforms crashing, and much more.
Physical Layout of Building
Although campus structures did not change, the way campuses handle the physical layout of classrooms, lunchrooms, hallways, bathrooms, and more has changed. The CDC issued new guidelines for campuses that limit decision-making for teachers and administrators.
Distancing
Classrooms across the United States went from an average of 25-30 students per core classroom (math, science, history, and English language arts) to about 10-20 students per classroom. To meet the needs of the global pandemic, desks were rearranged and spread out throughout the classroom. Although teachers and students may not be able to maintain a six-foot distance, teachers tried to aim for a minimum of three to five feet by placing desks farther apart. However, classrooms just aren’t large enough to maintain social distancing requirements. Mashable shows some pictures of what teachers are facing currently.
An example of an attempt to social distance is from a local campus:
Masks
So how do teachers get around this? Districts made it mandatory that students and teachers wear some sort of face covering (shield, mask, or a combination of both – anything except bandanas). In doing so, teachers are still trying to space desks about 3-4 feet apart. This isn’t ideal for a classroom for a variety of reasons, mainly because it changes how teachers plan their lessons. However, everyone’s safety is the number one priority. If that means we have less collaboration and engagement in face-to-face learning to be safe, then that is what the campus must do.
Fountains
Water fountains were covered and/or disconnected on some campuses to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Some water fountains were replaced with water bottle refill stations. Another option campuses have offered is leaving the water fountains uncovered, but only for refilling water bottles. That places a lot of trust in students and requires a lot of adult supervision to ensure they are used properly.
Procedures
As mentioned previously, facial coverings are now required for adults and students in the building. Although they have options as to their facial covering, this still presents many issues.
What happens if a student comes unprepared with a mask? How many chances do they get in order to self-correct? How many free masks will students receive before disciplinary action is taken? Will disciplinary actions occur? What is considered a truly appropriate mask in terms of coverage and design? Too many questions and not enough answers!
Cleaning Routines
Teachers, bus drivers, and custodians are all working overtime to ensure their environments are sterilized. Bus drivers are required to sanitize the bus after every drop-off. This includes seating, railings, or any other area a student may touch. Custodians are wiping stair railings, door handles, and benches (even though students are not supposed to sit on them, they are cleaning to ensure they are safe), fogging rooms and bathroom stalls, and more.
Although several of these cleanings have always been done (such as bathroom stalls), the sanitizing process takes much longer, sometimes requiring bathrooms to be shut down temporarily. Teachers are using medical-grade disinfectant to wipe desks, chairs, keyboards, books, dictionaries, and much more in between classes. Mind you, teachers are supposed to be in the hallway between passing periods. Teachers also have to worry about students with allergies to any cleaner. The disinfectant needs to sit for at least three minutes. Passing periods for most middle school campuses range from three to five minutes. It makes it difficult for a teacher to be at two places at once, while ensuring safety both with COVID and allergies.
Supplies
Teachers are no longer allowed to “borrow out” supplies. Students cannot lend supplies to other students. If a student comes unprepared, teachers constantly give them supplies to keep. This doesn’t seem like a big deal. However, if a student needs a pen/pencil every 180 days, that will add up to an average of 150 students per middle school teacher and 200 per high school teacher. These are endless battles faced in a typical school year, but teachers typically have procedures in place to retrieve their items. Given that most supplies come from teachers’ income, these new procedures can be frustrating, but they are necessary to keep everyone safe.
Nurses/Clinic Assistance
Nurses’ routines have also been affected by COVID. In the past, the nurse would welcome any student to their office with minor issues (headaches, bandages, feminine products, etc.). However, with COVID, the procedure for sending a student to the nurse’s office has changed drastically.
Unless a student has a medical condition (diabetes, allergies requiring EPI pens, seizures, a G-tube, etc.) or COVID-19 symptoms, students’ medical needs should be assessed in the classroom. Teachers were equipped with the necessary tools to handle many medical issues within the classroom.
Nurses used to be able to check the vital signs of teachers and administrators. Yet again, COVID has changed this. Teachers and administrators are no longer allowed into nurses’ offices. If you are concerned about having your vitals taken, nurses have offered to come to the teachers’ classrooms. This shouldn’t be because of a curious moment; it should be because they feel something is bothering them (heart racing, dizziness, etc.).
Breakfast & Lunch
Breakfast and lunch used to be times when students could socialize and release their energy for the day. Now, students are expected to skip seats and minimize their movement and socialization. Imagine seeing your best friend daily, but not allowed to sit by them or talk to them because a pandemic is limiting you.
Impact on Educational Setting
Although some may see the pandemic as a benefit, with fewer face-to-face classes, there are several drawbacks. Because of the pandemic, students are no longer allowed to work in small groups, collaboration groups, or similar settings. This is harming students’ education. Collaboration is the essence of all future jobs for students. More importantly, collaboration helps students understand the material by discussing it with peers.
There are millions of people impacted by COVID-19, but the biggest group facing change right now is those in education: teachers, students, paraprofessionals, and administrators. School districts have lost teachers at an alarming rate, and it won’t slow down as long as the coronavirus is around.