Teacher COVID-19 Q&A

Teacher COVID-19 Q&A

Charli Fultz, Reporter

In September of 2020, an email was sent to all LHS and CCC staff asking questions about the current situation. Here are some of the responses. NOTE: all staff responses have been copied and pasted here exactly as they were sent.

1.) How has COVID affected the way you teach?

Todd Saylor– Everything has been flipped – students cannot share ingredients or equipment I have to monitor and measure everything. They cannot move around the room to gather ingredients as before. Plus they have to be kept separate while in the lab setting.

Grace Scott– I think Covid has definitely made me a little more hesitant to interact with students and keep them at their desks. In the past we might have moved around more as a class. The first few weeks of school I was very hesitant to have any partner assignments.

Cynthia Frye-Yes, it has affected the way I teach. It is much more difficult to teach when wearing a mask and it is harder to hear the students responses when answering questions.

Laura Morgan- I have to stay away from the students so one to one help is difficult. I have eliminated some group activities that were beneficial but not absolutely necessary. Generally it’s boring now.

Kevin Reed– We submit assignments online and many absences have made it harder to understand the material and make up missing tests/quizzes. As a result, I have reviewed more than normal.

Bryan Looker-I teach two courses at the high school, ACP U.S. history and world history. Honestly, not much has changed for ACP because it is such a lecture-driven course. Because of that, we have not been reliant on computers. World history, however, is much different. In the past, most of the assignments would be based on paper. Due to COVID, nearly everything we do is on the computer, from assignments to assessments. This change, although necessary, is much more time consuming.

Teena Tocco-yes. Posting online takes so much time and I cannot grade things as fast as I would like. I do not talk as much as I usually do because of the mask. I also teach a lab class and the whole class cannot be in the lab at one time. We have to rotate who is in the lab. Group work is out of the question.

Brigid Strickling- Due to COVID, we’re doing basically no groupwork or collaborative projects/activities in my classroom. I usually try to make class as active as possible, allowing students to move around the room and work with others almost daily. That isn’t happening this year–there’s a ton of online discussions, readings, etc. instead. Some things I’ve done in previous years are easily adaptable to online learning, but many things I’ve had to rethink and/or rework. A lot of the “fun” learning has been forced to take a back seat for now, which is unfortunately the safest thing for everyone involved.

Jessica Kranz- It’s slowed down my progress a little because we have to explain things with a different depth; took longer to get to know you all because of the masks and reading the room was more difficult.

2.) Would you rather teach in person classes or remote classes? Why or Why not?

Scott- I much prefer teaching in person. I love getting to connect with my students and interact with them and answer questions as they come up in class while we are working together.

Frye- I would rather teach in person classes because it is so much easier to build rapport with the students in person than on-line.

Morgan- I would rather be teaching in person despite the distant approach. I think live instruction is less distracted.

Lundy- I prefer teaching in person. Teaching remote there isn’t that human connection and there is a lot more confusion on assignments, using technology, and technology issues.

Looker- I believe there is no substitute in in-person instruction, especially for college courses. My lectures are interactive. Even with Zoom or Google Meet it is impossible to generate the same level of discussion or interest in the subject matter.

B. Strickling- Honestly? I really do enjoy interacting with students daily, but this year the joy I get from teaching is harder to find–the masks, anxiety, and added stress of having to put everything online has completely overshadowed the parts of this job that I love. Until we have an effective vaccine readily available, I’d feel much safer teaching remote classes from home. My preference would be a return to life with in-person classes and no COVID-19, but obviously that isn’t our current reality!

Kranz- In person! Hands down. I want to be with you all, connect, laugh, share. We lose so much of that with distance learning.

3.) Do you think cleaning after every class period is effective? Why or Why not?

Saylor- Cleaning after every class isn’t anything new to us here in the culinary world, we already did that before during and after each class before.

Scott- I think cleaning the desks is a good idea and I’m glad we are doing it. Honestly, I think it should be protocol moving forward. I’m hopeful that we will see a decrease in flu, cold and other illnesses this winter due to wearing masks and cleaning the desks.

Ned Boyd- I DON’T KNOW, I DON’T THINK ANYONE REALLY KNOWS…

Morgan- It is. I see many students touching their faces through out the class periods. Better to reduce potential exposure. We cannot ask people to stop breathing so this is the next best thing.

Reed- Yes. If there are “bugs” left on the desks, the disinfectant will knock them out.

Lundy- I think it has been effective. Without a placebo class that doesn’t clean to use as a comparison I can’t say for sure. over cleaning is never a bad thing in schools.

Looker- Cleaning the desks is 100% necessary after every period. Whether it is effective or not depends on the level of attention each student gives to sanitizing their workspace. Even with reminders, I have noticed some students treat the cleaning of their desks like it’s a race that has to be won instead of being thorough and thoughtful of who will occupy the seat next period.

Kranz- I hope so! If it keeps us in school, I’ll keep doing it!

Cory Cripe– Anytime you clean extra that can only help with the effectiveness of reducing the spread of viruses and such.

4.) How are you dealing with the decrease of students turning in homework?

Saylor- YES!!! those that are at home ( in general) have done very little in terms of homework.

Scott- I am frustrated with some of my students who are not doing a good job turning in their assignments whether they are in class or on quarantine. I have reached out to them personally and I have also contacted parents and guidance counselors. Ultimately- I think that the responsibility should rest on the students to complete their makeup work.

Frye- My students are doing much better this year turning in assignments.

Morgan- I don’t have that happening.

Lundy- Student apathy (I’m not going to do it, or I don’t care attitude) has been a major issue even before COVID. I’m not sure what has changed? I played 3 sports, had a job, and still had time to socialize and be a kid. My parents both worked and I had younger siblings as well. I never used those as excuses not to get my work done. I was no different than a large population of our students. I still did all my assignments. I get that students have to work, or are “busy” but it’s not something new and therefore shouldn’t be used as a crutch. It’s no secret that History department has more strict policies when it comes to missing work, but we are trying to develop responsibility and time management. Those soft skills are essential to function in the adult world.

Looker- Whether students have not recovered from student work expectations of spring or other reasons (computer, etc.), there is no doubt fewer students are turning in work less often than ever before. On my end, I have been more lenient giving full credit for longer periods of time in an effort to help grades.

Tocco- I have always been more flexible than most teachers on late work. I am being even more flexible this year. Grading late work on Schoology is extremely hard. I have to make a list of assignments turned in late and go into Schoology and find each late assignment to grade. Before, I could take home a pile of papers and get them graded pretty quickly, I miss paper. Being glued to a computer is not fun and hurts my back after a while.

B. Strickling- It isn’t just homework that’s not being turned in, I have plenty of students who haven’t turned in assignments we work on in class. To try to combat this, I’ve been a bit more lenient this year with deadlines and accepting late work. In addition, I’ve worked in a couple of “make up” days for students to hopefully take advantage of class time to get themselves caught up. That’s been somewhat helpful, but as the proverb goes, “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.” At some points students need to take responsibility for themselves, their choices, and their academic success.

Kranz- I’ve not had this issue- seems like we’re committed to success in speech. A few students in English have struggled with assignments, but we’re getting there.

5.) Have you noticed students becoming more relaxed in the wearing of their masks? In what way?

Saylor- Somewhat yes, they let them drop off their noses and completely pulled below their mouths. I will say though for the most part everyone quickly pulls them back up and does as we are required.

Scott- I think most of my students are doing a pretty solid job with wearing masks and I have tried to praise them and encourage them for keeping up the good work.

Frye- No, the students are very good about wearing their masks. I never even hear them complain about it. (I probably wouldn’t be able to hear them talking through their mask!

Boyd- DEFINITELY! I SAW TWO KIDS TRADE MASKS THE OTHER DAY…BLECH!

Morgan- More and more are challenging the expectation of having a properly covered face.

Reed- A little. A few have to be reminded to cover their nose as well.

Lundy- Yes, students wearing them under their nose, or using the “I’m eating” excuse. Some don’t agree with the masks, don’t think they are necessary.

Looker- The classroom environment has been good from day one regarding mask wearing. I have a few students (five or less a day) I have to remind occasionally to put their mask over their nose. The hallway, however, is completely different. There were very few students who disregarded or disobeyed the proper way to wear a mask the first week or two of school. During the past few weeks that has changed. I am telling multiple students nearly every passing period to cover their noses. Recently, some students are wearing their masks around their neck.

Cripe- Students have been really good at being compliant about mask wearing.

Tocco- Some students are not covering their nose 100% of the time. I have been reminding students about wearing their mask over their nose more recently.

B. Strickling- Most of my students wear their masks properly (covering both their nose and mouth at all times), but in the last few weeks I have noticed more noses popping out and more students with masks off eating or drinking (or just talking to their friends), especially in the hallways. Do better, Berries! You never know who’s immunocompromised, who has an elderly family member at home, and so on. Wearing a mask properly shows that you care for others. Be a good human and wear the mask!