Pandemic! The Roller Coaster

It’s been two years since spring break 2020 when many of us left our campuses and could not return. And with two years of ups and downs with living and teaching through a global pandemic, it’s felt like a roller coaster ride that is finally (hopefully!) coming to an end. Let’s take a moment and reflect on how these two years have affected us and how we might take these lessons learned to move into a new future.

Uphill climb - March-May 2020

When the pandemic came to the U.S. in March 2020, we believed that if we avoided others for a couple of weeks, we could stop the spread of the virus and get back to normal. I found being in lockdown to be somewhat relaxing. With two busy kids, staying home and being with family was a welcomed change. But then came the news that we would spend the rest of the semester teaching remotely.

My college gave an extra week of spring “break” so instructors could prepare. Supports were provided like programs on features of course management systems and tutorials on how to use conferencing software. Almy Education jumped in to help with practical tips, blogs, and programs like Taking STEM online with Maria Andersen and Flipping STEM with Wendy Fresh and Jessica Bernards.

This sudden switch to remote learning was a big challenge for many teachers, especially those accustomed to primarily teaching in person. But, somehow, we made it work. We were even able to figure out how to administer final exams online while reducing cheating opportunities. I often tell my preservice teachers that you plan as best as possible but must be flexible because things never go as planned. Never has this flexibility been challenged more than in those early days of the pandemic. The switch to remote learning was not perfect, and there were some real challenges, but we made it work for as many of our students as possible.

Lesson learned: We CAN rise to a challenge and be successful! 

Downhill momentum - Summer 2020

Summer was a full downhill plunge with stomach-dropping uncertainty. Vacations and festivals were canceled, and there was a general fear of being inside around people, making outdoor dining and small events the norm. Many colleges announced that there would be no in-person classes in the fall and others delayed making a decision. Incoming first-year students had hard choices to make on what kind of college experience they wanted, and everyone was living with the future unknown. 

Add the tragic death of George Floyd at the hands of police and subsequent protests that sparked renewed awareness of racial bias and disparities in all aspects of life. With education having the potential as being an equalizer in our society, there are calls for using culturally responsive teaching practices and strategies to support all students.  

Again, we were planning for the unknown and took this opportunity to change our traditional teaching methods for the betterment of our students. We took training on different programs, discussed best practices with colleagues, and kept planning for the future. As professionals, many of us were given free rein to do what we believed needed to be done to support ALL of our students - and we did all we could.

Lesson learned: We can be innovative and change with the times! 

Middle ups and downs - Fall 2020

Fall 2020 was like the middle part of a roller coaster. There were ups, downs, twists, turns, and probably a few loops. We were teaching online or in socially distanced classrooms with masks - environments that are not ideal for active and interactive learning. We put our innovative plans from summer into action - and it didn’t always go as planned.

Despite my best efforts, online discussions often fell flat, assignment instructions weren’t followed correctly, and there were many, many emails from students. Some students thrived in the online learning environment; others did not. Through it all, we kept trying, failing, and trying again. We learned with our students, and we all had to show compassion and some forgiveness because it was not perfect. But we did it, and we learned!

Lesson learned: Try, fail, learn, and try again!  

Second climb - Spring 2021

At the end of 2020, we had a newly-developed and tested COVID-19 vaccine. There was excitement, anticipation, and hope that this pandemic would soon be over and we could get back to normal. But, we had to get through the spring first. 

We had fewer failures because of the lessons learned. And we kept refining and trying new things like screencasting or personalized learning. Again, we expanded our teaching toolbox and demonstrated that we could be flexible with our teaching to reach all students.

Lesson learned: We have skills! 

Downhill again - Summer 2021

After the springtime vaccine hope, reality came crashing down. There were vaccine mandates which brought on resistance to getting the vaccine. There were protests against mask mandates. People were still getting COVID and dying from it. In a way, this second downhill was worse than the first. It just seemed like there was so much hope that came crashing down.

As we realized that the pandemic restrictions would not end before fall, we had to change our mindset. There would not, yet, be normal classroom experiences. With this realization, there was real anger and some sadness. We renewed discussions on social-emotional learning (SEL) and self-care. As anyone who has paid attention to the instructions on a flight, you know that you need to put your own oxygen mask on before helping others. That’s the lesson from summer 2021 - take care of yourself first.

Lesson learned: Put on your own oxygen mask first! 

Final plateau - Fall 2021-Spring 2022

By fall 2021, we were ready to get off this pandemic ride, but it wasn’t done yet. Despite vaccines, masks, and precautions, people were still sick with the delta and omicron variants. There was even more anger and frustration with people fighting on social media and in public, especially at school board meetings. There was (and still is) a sense of “us versus them,” between ideals of personal freedom versus protecting others, and it falls along political party lines.

Currently, both students and teachers are back in the classroom. But with these outside forces and two years of social distancing, many have slipped in using polite social skills. We have to renew classroom norms and show how to have discussions. We need to regain positive classroom interactions by building relationships with students and developing a sense of classroom community. We are still in this pandemic together, which is a crucial point to remember.

Lesson learned: Be kind. 

It has been a two-year pandemic roller coaster ride, but I want to believe we are rounding the bend to that final plateau, which will take us back to where we started. But it won’t be the same as when we left it. We have increased awareness of our individual students and their needs, more varied teaching skills, and knowledge that we can persevere regardless of the circumstances. Because of this, we can teach boldly in the new normal. 

Science side note: Roller coasters are a lesson in energy conversion. They work by building potential energy with the initial pull to the top of a large hill. Then gravity takes over with a rush downhill and through twists, turns, loops, and more hills. Most coasters have a second uphill drive to build more potential energy that gets converted to the kinetic energy needed to get you back to start. You really want to get into it and learn more, check out this How Stuff Works article on roller coasters.