It's a Numbers Game -Every Educators Dilemma (107)

Teachers are amazing. We rally the troops. We adapt. We slightly waver, but never give up. We persist. Every day whether we are in a brick and mortar classroom or a virtual one- we are present, interactive and proactive. 

We had clubs, extra-curricular competitions and a myriad of other outside of the classroom, school related endeavors. Then something like this happens and they disappeared. We no longer see our students, experience events with them, interact with them. It’s a loss. A deeply emotional loss.

We got hugs and smiles, we told and heard jokes- we laughed. As a class we had fun. We grew together, with a synergy, unique to every group of students. We had our skits, hooks and deep conversations. We were comfortable. Each group its own entity- expanding and flexing with the challenges of learning.

Wham bam, thank you mam.

The physical becomes virtual. No matter our determination- the energy, the flow of the group has changed. We have lost part of the connection, it’s inevitable. We are juggling the dynamics. Some educators have 30 students or less, some 180 or more. It doesn't matter the size- it’s difficult for every teacher, to say the least.

My son is in 4th grade, he received a card from his teacher in the mail yesterday. It made him smile and a little sad. There are teachers driving though their local neighborhoods, of their students and waving at them, leaving care packages. These educators are heroes. I am in awe of their dedication.

As a junior high teacher, I have 180 students, spread out over a large area in Katy. Not feasible to drive through every neighborhood in a 25-mile radius. Sending a card to all 180 students is feasible, expensive, but doable. It just feels so big. My individual groups all combined into a huge unit. I feel an overwhelming urge to scream.

Trying to keep it individualized, personal on every level- is impossible. Communicating with everyone of them, every day is impossible.

Some students are turning in every assignment on-time. We are not giving late grades of any kind, so many are procrastinating and turning in things late. This means having to track down assignments in a multi-faceted, on-line program. A constant search for assignments amidst 180 students. Again, overwhelming. A full-time job.

Some are MIA, they never sign on or skip a week of assignments. Phone calls, emails. Troubleshooting the on-line platform with students. Again, full-time job. Our hours have increased, not decreased. We are again, overwhelmed. 

Then a lot of us are parents too, with children at home attempting to maneuver through virtual classrooms and assignments. As we are grading and in chats with our students and colleagues, our home-life is blurring, with our professional responsibilities. It’s not easy for teachers or parents. Heck, its not easy for anyone. Everyone is struggling in some capacity.

Group size is a huge talking point these days. Distance. No more than a certain number of shoppers in a store- lines, six feet apart, waiting outside for entry. No gatherings of more than 5 publicly. It’s a numbers game.

For me 180 students is a numbers game. Like a giant jigsaw puzzle, with the pieces that won’t stay together. So, the moment you have an edge completed, the other edges falls apart. You have the lid you know what it’s supposed to look like. But, its impossible to get enough of the pieces to attach and stay completed. YET, we keep trying. We educators are relentless,

Daily- I email them, set up chats per class, keep up with their grades, communicate with parents. All the while being a mom. Time-management is a necessity. Patience is a necessity. Calm required. For no teacher is this maintenance and connection maintained with ease. In this regard, the numbers game is universal.

We are all amassing the puzzle pieces, trying to sync the puzzle. It feels just out of phase. But we try- we persist. We make sure we are doing everything possible- 30 to 180 times a day. We maintain a large group professionally, a small group internally in our homes and a mental and physical one on an individual level.

Educators- you are heroes.

Deep breaths, focus and a whole lot of reflection and sought-after feedback. That is the oil to keep this machine working. The pieces of the puzzle may spill, they may even get lost- but we will start to see the image soon- as long as we keep snapping the pieces together.