Making the best decisions always, always requires good data. So it was wonderful to see this report issued from the University of Minnesota, with survey data from PK-12 educators across the state. Taking this time to learn from the experiences we have had during the first part of the pandemic can be useful in making good decisions for handling school this fall.
We are sharing some of their key findings, and encourage you to not only look through this report yourself but also to share it with your colleagues.
“Relationships Matter
Educators’ number one worry was relationship building and the ability to socially connect and engage with students and families. Educators cited:
• Concerns about successfully engaging students in distance learning this spring and being able to do so in the fall absent pre-established relationships.
• The inability to reach some students and families, which leads to concerns about a lack of equity in learning outcomes and the safety and well-being of their students.
• A desire to be part of the planning and to be heard by leaders.
• A strong need to collaborate among one another to support each other and students.
Technology is Important
Technology was a significant concern for educators. It was the most frequently mentioned topic in the qualitative responses in the areas of needed supports and professional development. Educators cited:
• Hardware, internet connectivity, and tech support needs for students/families and teachers to facilitate equity.
• Basic and advanced training needs in tech-based learning platforms as well as professional development in creating engaging online learning.
• A need to reduce the multitude of online learning platforms within districts, which caused stress amongst educators and families.
• Training and tech support needs, like a helpline, for families with regards to the technology being used.
Educators are Worried
Educators were significantly worried about many factors related to learning in the 2020-2021 school year, from how they will build relationships in distance learning to how they will be able to stay healthy in in- person learning.
Students
• Educators reported great concern about whether they can meet students’ needs academically, socially, and emotionally through distance
learning. They were particularly worried about students receiving special education services, multilingual learners, and traditionally
marginalized students.
• Educators were concerned about all that students have lost (e.g., social connections, access to essentials that schools often provide, and
curricular opportunities that cannot be recreated online).
Families
• Educators wanted to both engage with and support families, as well as receive support from families in holding students accountable.
• There was a great deal of empathy for everything families were juggling. Educators expressed concerns about whether or not families are getting enough support and how they could access support beyond the school system.
Themselves
• Educators were apprehensive about the unknown and uncertainty; specifically about coming back to schools and getting sick or making family members sick, and of hybrid learning, where they believe they will have to teach both in person and online.
• There was a great deal of concern about continuing distance learning, as some reported they did not feel successful teaching in this format.
Learning Occurred for Educators
While distance learning presented many challenges, educators also reported that there were lessons learned and skills acquired that they will carry with them into whatever the fall brings, and eventually their
classrooms.
• Educators reported that distance learning provided them an opportunity to learn about how issues of equity affected students and their families.
• Educators reported partnering with families in new ways.
• Some educators reported a feeling of surprise and delight at realizing some students who previously struggled in traditional school (e.g., shy, anxious or even had behavior issues) thrived in distance learning.
• Educators also reported acquiring new skills in relationship building, engagement, and technology use that they will use moving forward.
Summary
Overall, there seems to be an ongoing and internal tension for the educators who responded to this survey. They recognized that learning as it was pre-COVID-19 is not what we will return to in the fall. Many even cited the potential positives that could come to education as a result of this time. However, the multitudes of unknowns, the lack of feeling efficacious this past spring, and the challenges that lie ahead seemed to have left educators in multiple places. The open-ended responses to the survey appear to group educators into three categories:
- educators who appear to be emotionally exhausted, highly stressed, and uncertain;
- educators who appear to be embracing the future, viewing last spring as a learning opportunity for improvement; and
- educators who appear to be deeply concerned not only about themselves, but their students and families and the stresses and trauma they have endured since March.”
There is much more to this report, and a lot of useful information. Read the whole thing right here.