The Start of Year Ten

Tomorrow marks the beginning of a new school year, one which has raised the bar of expectations to new levels. After being negatively impacted by covid over the past eighteen months, school administrators are determined to get their students back to a regular routine of hands-on classroom learning. Teachers are fully aware that a considerable segment of our student population is lacking skill-sets associated with English, Math, Science, and other subject areas- not without mentioning the social-emotional scars, often hidden and unseen. Regardless, there is a feeling of optimism and hope throughout the hallways of school and I am excited to be begin another new chapter of teaching.

My room is also the home for another student-teacher this fall. Bryden is a non-traditional student from UW-Oshkosh who spent almost ten years in business and marketing before realizing his true desire to teach. Standing 6'7", I feel like I'm in the presence of my son, Jacob, who stands in similar height. I look forward to him sharing new experiences with my students.  Ironically, for the first time in my career, I am not teaching any freshman classes this fall. Instead my assigned responsibilities are with grades 11-12 and the subject of Economics...a timely topic when our economy is being pushed and pulled in ways not known in recent history.

End of School Year Reflection

My ninth year of professional teaching has come to an end, and as much as I’d prefer to totally forget it altogether, there are some important implications that historians will explore further in fine detail. I would be an outright liar if I made the statement that I wasn’t challenged this past year. Circumstances beyond my control tested my resolve when dealing with students, parents, and sometimes even my cohorts at school. I know it wasn’t the best situation for everyone, and each handled it differently. 

Some students hid from school by hunkering down at home. Although they were considered virtual in nature, they were far removed from any learning activity. As a result they made no progress whatsoever and their social skills suffered in ways we’ll likely never know. My fear is that many of these individuals will be lost in life altogether, creating a void which will never be filled. When they return to the classroom next fall, these students will require personal attention, for their emotional sake as well as bringing them up to speed with learning. Many of these individuals lack the necessary supports needed from home, much less identifying one or two adults who they value as a positive role model. When school resumes in early September, it will be interesting to see first-hand the development gap between those students who chose to learn remotely versus those who elected to be in the classroom every day.

Some students handled masking and covid protocols in an admirable manner. Their resolve is to be complimented and admired, for they have demonstrated an ability to adapt to their environment. Whether they know it or not, I sense they have likely acquired new skills which will strengthen their character for many years to come. Their railroad cars never derailed and they will continue to prosper once normalcy returns to everyday life.

In reading that “final essay question” I always pose to my freshmen students in Global Studies, I discovered that many of them made the connection to how well off they have it compared to others who live in the Eastern Hemisphere. The overwhelming percentage of them were able to comply with the required 3-4 solid paragraphs, each consisting of 4-5 well-written sentences. Inside each reflection was a story of genuine realization that they “got it” just as I hoped and more. Their insight came from various lesson segments taught earlier in the school year, and each composition delivered a sense of satisfaction which teachers live to experience.

I still value my time and efforts in the classroom. My energy level remains high and I love integrating new technologies with real-life experiences. And best of all, I still learn from my students!

The Year to Forget

 I recall the announcement to school staff with instructions to "pack up everything you'll need from school for the next 2-3 weeks" all too well. For the past few weeks we watched nightly news reports detailing the spread of covid19 across the United States, much less the rest of the world. Initial forecasts created the impression that it would be just a short period of time until school returned to normal, and students seemed thrilled with their newfound freedom from the daily grind of having to do schoolwork. As the virus took an ever-increasing number of victims with preexisting health conditions, many families isolated themselves. 

Suddenly church congregations no longer worshiped as one, movie theaters closed, and small businesses shut their doors. Meanwhile large retailers such as Walmart and Menards achieved record sales. In April 2020 our school attempted to instigate remote learning, but lack of public wifi and connectivity frustrated student and parents alike. It was about this time when I sensed upperclassmen taking on full-time jobs, replacing older workers who quit for fear of getting covid19. Why go to school when you could pull down $500+/week? Grades and plans for secondary educations became second-thought.

I might only imagine the concerns which were likely voiced by administrators in off-the-record closed door meetings. The state of public education was quickly falling into disarray without a time-proven plan to navigate to safety. Teachers, many of who never pondered the concept of online learning, were now instructed to pick up from where they left off from in-person learning, a next to impossible task in itself under normal circumstances, Covid19 was anything but normal.

For myself, the transition was easier than most...having completed my Masters Degree in Online Learning four years earlier. I was able to apply many of the methods I learned, but Marian University never mentioned the topic of lack of engagement and social disconnect on the part of students. To this day the issue has yet to be addressed by any school district, and that day of reckoning will need to take place before we regain any sense of "normalcy" once again. For the time being I have doubts as to whether a viable solution can really address all those students who truly need it. And for the sake of clarity, I'm referring to students of all ages throughout our entire country. Unfortunately, in this case, the cure was worse than the disease