An east Auckland teacher is sharing her experiences of working during past and current Covid-19 lockdowns.
The local woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, is a primary school teacher who has extensive experience.
The first couple of days leading up to the first lockdown in March last year, she says, were difficult.
“We had classrooms loaded with children. Many of them had colds.”
The subsequent stay-at-home orders lead to issues with virtual learning.
As education was computer-based, this led to households having internet and connection issues.
In some cases, she says, there was a lack of devices for students that led to them attending classes for shorter periods of time and making it harder for them to access their own materials.
The Education Hub says home learning has “made readily apparent the profound disparities in children’s access to support and opportunities”.
“This is perhaps has been most seen in some students’ (lack of) access to a digital device and wi-fi connection at home.”
“Parents can be busy. Many are essential workers,” the teacher says.
“If I taught high school kids, it would be different – younger students often can’t learn as well on their own.”
She told the Times that some students with more one-and-one assistance from parents led to a level of work and achievement improvement.
“This is all very individual,” she says. “It differs from student to student.”
Another consequence of virtual learning, she says, is that teachers lose “that level of personal connection with children”.
“We call it pastoral care,” she says. “We don’t know as much about their lives.”
Virtual learning can also make it more difficult to assign work that is challenging but achievable to the students.
Some of her colleagues were also experiencing difficulties with lockdown.
“It was tough for them,” she says.
This current lockdown, she notes, has been more prepared and smooth.
“There’s been a lot less time looking for things”.
Additionally the transition for families and students is easier as they’ve had previous experience, and additional preparation.
“I’ve had a lot more engagement the past couple days,” she says.
While virtual learning has led to losing some personal connection with their students, the teacher says she’s enjoyed the more flexibility to plan her teaching.
Due to the school having students from overseas, their families across the world are struggling with the effects of Covid-19.
“There have been deaths from student’s families,” she says.
“It’s taken its toll. This has led to a high level of anxiety.”
