‘The last few months have been an incredible challenge for teachers - remote learning, adjusting to a new normal, and then of course becoming anxious about returning to work. The new-normal is definitely different, but a wave we have to ride...’ I never thought my Drama lessons would include saying “can we all mute our mics please - someone’s mum is shouting a little too much at a sibling for everyone to hear our lesson...”
Remote Learning
Teaching from home, a soon coined phrase of ‘remote learning’ was great in many ways. Teaching became weirdly more intimate (despite being through a screen) with everyone’s home back drop on display, showing a little bit of their personality and everyday life. It taught us new skills, showed us that we can face challenge and run with it. We learnt new ways to interact with those around us - pupils, colleagues and friends and family. Teaching became unique to a technological method, pushing us all to consider WHAT we teach, and HOW we teach it - how do we make it accessible for all online, what significance will attendance hold, will they engage - how do I ensure they do? But of course there are challenges. From a Drama’s teacher perspective, amongst these positives came the challenges of thinking “wow, what can we actually teach them?” - “how can we teach a majorly practical subject online?” There were moments were we questioned what would keep them engaged, how would we balance theory and practical and how we will encourage them to embark on solo projects at home.
Home distractions
Of course with remote learning comes the younger siblings making noise in the background, or on occasion a shouting parent - yes I had one Mum screaming at her child in the background of my live lesson! I politely said “could you all mute your mics please, I think someone’s background noise is stopping everyone from hearing me”. But, there was also very cute moments of colleagues’ children joining staff briefing and online staff quizzes to keep spirits up!
A moment in time...
This is a phrase with two meanings - a moment in time that we will get through. We will find a way, we will follow a new normal, we will get through this year and more. But also, a moment in time as a moment in history. A period of time that will be in the history books that will be studied by future generations. Whilst it has been a terrifying and uncertain time, history is being written now, and we are making the stories for those books. That’s a pretty incredible thought!
The troopers
Like any other tough time - we realise that we do rise to the challenge. Of course we all have those “what is going on?”, “how will we do this?” and “what is the answer?” moments. The moments where we struggle to juggle everything, and wonder what on earth September will look like - and now it’s here! But through all of it we have to remember that we did rise to the challenge! We have to remember those comments from parents that thanked us for all we do. One parent personally thanked me in a phone call. She didn’t realise how much their child learnt everyday at school, and how she’d been underestimating his teachers and education. We have to remember the troops of year 11 and 13, who had the most unknown results day - putting their faith in several peoples hands, with ever changing circumstances, for the most important day that they’ve been working towards for a long time. And also, all the other students in years groups working at home too. Those who have done their very best to keep up with their workload, finding a complete new self-organisation that to some of them was very alien!
Looking forward...
It would be a lie to say I wasn’t nervous about returning to work after such a long time. Whilst there is so much excitement to be back with fab colleagues, and all the great students you interact with each day - there are still some worries, uncertainties and concerns. But we’ll do it! We’ll do it together! It’s a new normal, but we’ll ride the waves!
All the best to everyone going back to work this week! It will be different but nothing we cannot face!
Take care,
Miss B :)