Teachers reflect on being back to school

As we all know by now, this school year has not been the easiest for any of us because of the pandemic. We’ve been forced to learn virtually, but in the past weeks, the numbers for COVID have gone down significantly in Wisconsin, so because of that, Greendale made the decision to return to in-person classes for those who choose. Students are obviously stoked about the idea of going back to school, but more importantly, how do teachers feel about it?

All teachers have their set way of teaching their classes, but due to the pandemic, those teaching methods have been forced to change to keep both teachers and students safe during school. “I think teaching during COVID has been extremely challenging but has also shown me that we can do things differently and still be as effective as before.  Virtual teaching was the big change that came with COVID. It definitely took some time to hit a stride with it, and to be honest, I am not sure I am doing the best that I can. COVID has required us to really innovate and make the necessary changes to reach every student,” math teacher Amanda Hauser said.

While students who chose to come back to person are excited about the idea to learn at school, some teachers may have different thoughts about coming back in person. Some teachers have mixed feelings about the idea, but in the end, most teachers made a return to school. “I really love being back in person, it’s wonderful to have the students back in class. It feels more normal which I think we all needed since the pandemic has been going on for so long,” French teacher Sarah Thompson said. 

Although there are many benefits to going to school in-person, there are also many drawbacks. At school you are vulnerable because you’re in such a small space with a handful of people. It is in the hands of the people to choose if they want to go to school in person, if they choose to, they have to be prepared for the risks “The district is taking many measures to make the school safe, but being here remains risky, because to do my job it requires me to work in a room with 20-26 people. The more contact you have with others, the more at risk you are,” English teacher Erin Schwane said.

Since we’ve been learning from home for quite some time now, when we arrive back to school, there are bound to be some adjustments to get back in the swing of things. “In my personal life, we are still very much on lockdown. We stay home and we don’t see anyone outside of our household. This means no family, playdates, or activities for my kids. Then I come to work and see more than 100 students per day! It’s hard to merge the two worlds and feel right about doing it,” math teacher Sarah Holland said.

Although not all teachers face this challenge, some teachers have to deal with teaching students at home and at school. This can be quite the challenge for some teachers, and to be able to effectively teach students in class and at home, is very difficult. “One of the biggest challenges that I face when teaching kids in school and at home is making sure that everyone is included in what we are doing. Although the kids at home aren’t able to participate in labs in our chemistry classes, I try my best to make them feel included as well,” chemistry teacher Brian Verfuerth said.

COVID has made a great impact on all of us, and teachers were hit quite hard. It has been a journey doing online school, and when I say that, I think that I speak for all of us. Now that most of us are back in person for school, hopefully things will get better from here on out.