Written by Daniela Sierra
As students, we tend to focus on our collective mental health, schoolwork, and exams, and as a result, we often do not dwell on the feelings of those before us. However, it’s our role to ask ourselves an important question: how are teachers feeling after being given such a pivotal role throughout the pandemic? Here at MAST@FIU, the challenge of teaching both in-person and MSO students has placed an insane amount of pressure on educators for the entirety of this school year. From the very beginning, they were asked to adapt to an uncertain and constantly changing work environment while also dealing with personal challenges brought on by COVID-19. To find out how teachers have felt throughout this school year and some of their personal opinions regarding dilemmas brought on by COVID-19, I interviewed Mr. Gonzalez and Ms. Sellanes.
Q: How do you feel about the district’s handling of the reopening?
Ms. Sellanes: “They tried their best, but it’s easy to tell that they don't really care about their teachers, they just want to reopen. They say they want to do it safely, but they don't really keep teachers in mind. On top of this, the district has taken away teacher planning days, completely disregarding the mental health of teachers district-wide.”
Mr. Gonzalez: “I think it’s turned out to be the right call to open up the schools and give students the option to return physically or virtually.”
He followed this statement by elaborating on the school-specific efforts to reduce the spread and keep both students and educators safe, stating, “Here at MAST@FIU, I feel safe. There’s plenty of distance between the desks, hand sanitizer in every room. Safety measures have been implemented efficiently.”
Q: What were your initial thoughts about being placed back into an in-school setting, and how have these first impressions evolved throughout the course of the school year?
Ms. Sellanes stated that teachers could not provide any input regarding the decision to send teachers back to school. She recalls feeling silenced, disrespected because she did not feel ready to go back to school. Today, she still would not willingly opt to be in person because of safety concerns, but in the end, she remembers she doesn’t have a choice.
Mr. Gonzalez: “After beginning the school year online, there was a bit of uncertainty, I wasn't sure how it would work, but once we got into the routine, the uncertainty went away. Currently, I feel comfortable in the school.”
Q: In your own experience, how do you think the pandemic has affected students in your own classes?
Ms. Sellanes: “I do think it’s affected them, some student’s I’ve had both years are no longer the same person. They have different stressors, and are simply not able to focus on a class as much as they would have before the pandemic. MSO students, for example, are struggling with their mental health, spending so much time alone in a quiet room by themselves, or maybe even a loud house.”
Mr. Gonzalez: In the case of physical students, “It’s a lot easier for them to be engaged, both in the topic and teachers themselves.” Concerning MSO students, “Some are doing very well in a zoom environment, but learning virtually just doesn’t work for every student.
Q: What are your opinions about the continuation of standardized tests?
Mr. Gonzalez: Speaking with regards to the U.S. history exam, “I’m fine with the EOC still going on because it wasn’t done last year. Two years in a row not taking the EOC would cause difficulties.”
Ms. Sellanes took on a more broad approach to this question, talking about state/nation wide assessments as a whole. “They shouldn’t count this year. Today, we have different priorities than other years, such as making sure kids are learning, healthy, and happy. How they do on a test this year really does not matter.”
Make sure to thank your teachers and express your gratitude- they’ve all been working extremely hard, and making them feel both appreciated and acknowledged would go a long way.
Comments