Remote Learning is Hard On Everyone

Robin Snider | Feb 17, 2021

As both a parent and a teacher, I can attest that everyone who has been subjected to the challenges that the education system has faced since the pandemic first emerged can whole-heartedly and unequivocally tell you that it has been both mentally and physically exhausting to all involved.

Let us not forget that just last February and coincidentally about a month before everyone’s lives were flipped upside down because of a “new” and “deadly” virus, teachers across this province were striking to keep the concept of mandatory on-line learning out of the school system. Smaller class sizes were also a hot topic of debate. It took a global pandemic for people to realize that on-line learning does not provide equitable education for all. There is nothing that can replace the level of education that occurs in the classroom between students and teachers. And yes, smaller class sizes are safer from not only an educational standpoint but also a medical one.

Here is a teacher’s perspective of what the past year has been like for anyone in the education system. This is by no means an exhaustive list! Education professionals have worked tirelessly to make sure that students and their families have been looked after throughout the school closures. Every resource that we had available to us was utilized in order to support our students and their families. My colleagues and I have delivered food and school supplies to students and their families, provided direct mental health support and delivered laptops and “hot spots” to students who did not have any device or internet in order to complete their on-line learning. When we were not holding “zoom” meetings with our students, we were putting together paper packages and in many instances delivering them to students who chose to complete schoolwork through this delivery method.

Emails and phone calls were answered after “regular” work hours in order to calm a panicked parent or a stressed student. Comforting a crying mother on the phone was not uncommon. Many parents spoke of how exhausted they were with trying to keep up with “synchronous” learning throughout the day. As a parent, I struggled with this myself.

Education workers are not asking for a pat on the back for doing their jobs. Teaching is a profession of the heart! However, it is narrow minded, smug and entitled of anyone to blame the education system for not providing regular communication updates from the “dark recesses of education”. For those who may feel this way, may I just say that we truly have tried to provide as much stability as possible to the millions of students in this province.

One would not judge a doctor or nurse for keeping a medical clinic closed in order to limit person to person contact during this pandemic. Instead, certain medical services have been delivered by other means when possible and justifiably so. Therefore, why must some assume that education workers have not been doing their “jobs” simply because they have not been in their classrooms? Teachers do not control the lock-down procedures for the province! Before judging, maybe one should walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. I, like so many others have witnessed countless acts of kindness throughout this pandemic. Unfortunately, there will always be someone who tries to knock someone else down and belittle their intentions.

Teaching in a classroom with 25-30 masked students with desks that are no more than 60 centimetres apart and one window that opens a whole 5 inches to allow fresh air in has not been an easy task during this pandemic. It is much more productive to spread positivity, kindness and compassion to others instead of paranoia and accusations about things that one has limited knowledge, facts and experience with!