My Response to a Former Student’s Email, 7 days into 2020-2021.

I couldn’t sleep so I turned on The West Wing and checked my phone. I got an email from a student I had in my class two years ago. The time stamp says 11:25pm. I’m waiting for permission to share his email. Please note: I almost certain it’s the first he’s ever sent me. I wanted to share my response.

Here’s what I wrote back:

Hey {former student}!

Always good to hear from you but I sure wish it was to hear how well you are doing. My family is healthy (thank you; I hope yours is, too!) though I am working a ton (like you). My husband had his first year of teaching last year and was not brought back due to COVID. We’re doing fine because I had some extra work offers. Believe me I get the “can this really be how it’s going to be?” question.

I’m thrilled about your goals for yourself and I hope you follow through with them. Your immediate and long term personal well-being and growth is and should always be the number one priority. And you learn so much from doing those things. They’re part of who you are and they have to be fostered. 

I want to honor your questions and I have a few to ask, too:

1. What do you think of all this? 

You probably know me well enough to know what I think about all of this and like you, I have to choose to remain professional in my tone but dedicated to the purpose. I hope that makes sense. Tone matters in delicate situations like these; it adds to effectiveness. I believe teachers are absolutely trying but we’re caught up in this, too. 

2. Do you think students should be in front of screens from 8-5?

No. Should they continue their social lives and hobbies and go outside rather than sitting and completing things? Of course, while being healthy and safe (have to throw that in; this is a serious time and I want people who are healthy to stay healthy - and it’s a holiday weekend). Do I wonder about what we’re having students do and if it’s worth the time they’re putting in? Always, but especially now. I include myself in that because I got distracted and confused and anxious and lost my EDU-way a bit. Your email is timely because I got pushed back toward myself (something I wish for your friends) and will be taking action on my own course experience once the sun is up. 

I’m glad you told me your concern about your friends. They need to get outside. They need to take breaks to do other things.

3. Will our online experience improve? 

Well, considering what you’ve described, I damn well hope so and I think there are things that can be done to improve it from both teachers’ and students’ sides and to benefit everyone. Believe me, this isn’t what they wanted when they chose to be teachers. In a weird way I think it really could be, but we are tied up in the doing.

This dialogue can be helpful. Are you willing to let me share it? I can take off your name or keep it there (first name, no last names); which do you think will be most effective? 

Right now, here’s where I am:

- I had felt pushed to have kids doing, to have them filling stuff out, to have it all be digital. I believe that’s an immediate push across education and not specific to a person or our district. It just... is.

- There was a push to “recreate the school experience” at home; I don’t see how that can be done. School is school, home is home. This can and should be something different. We’ve needed different. It’s not the catalyst any of us would want but maybe it can be a huge opportunity for creativity and appreciation of the students‘ talents, experiences, and goals. 

- There remains a massive push to “keep kids occupied.” I think there’s a scary oversimplification  that “doing [anything] is learning.” 

- There’s a concern about quality of education that has always been there but is exponential now: if my student isn’t assigned a ton, are they really getting a “good” education? We had these discussions in our class.

- The tools can be useful but not if we don’t use every bit of their usefulness and for their intended use: teachers can turn off select notifications in Google Classroom so you don’t keep getting emails when it’s time to take a break. There’s an organization that can happen which allows assigning materials without that added stress to you via email and calendar. (I will have posted three assignments  for the month of September but this might also be subject-specific. Maybe, but I think that’s up for debate, too, based on what I’ve seen teachers of other subjects do.)

You’ve read a lot if you’ve stayed with me, so I have some questions. You can answer them or you and your friends or we can add another Meet to your day ;) or you can ignore them. 

1. How serious are you about wanting this to change? Your voice (written or spoken) is powerful. You are an expert in an experience most students around the world are having right now. We are hearing from families and teachers but not students.

2. Can I share your email? Would you consider discussing this more either with me or others?

3. Is the difference in: the workload, the hours, the type of assignments, the fact that it’s on a screen, or lack of social breaks? (Breaks were everywhere during school: driving to and from, passing periods, lunch, etc) and almost all of them were social. 

4. What would you suggest? I’m totally serious. You want an educated public and so do I but we also have the same goals for people as people. We’ve had these conversations before. You’ve had years of experience and dozens of teachers and classes: If you could design the learning in our current situation, what would it be? 

Here’s where I’m going with my classes:

Before Class:

- Choice of novel tied to a theme

- Handwritten notebook of thinking from reading (like we used to do but trying to get people away from the computer as much as possible); read, think, and note at the beach, park, anywhere.

In Class:

- Group and class discussions, like we did in class but through a different medium when it’s convenient for each student in the group. —   Voxer. Voxer is like a recorded Walkie-Talkie. Students will be able to have discussions on-the-go. You may end up listening to 15-20 minutes of recordings while you bike, skate, drive, etc. but you’ll be listening to and engaging in discussions about the novel. A little like a podcast but you know the speakers and can respond. I hope that makes sense.) Some teachers are still doing the group discussions during class time using one shared doc  —   And while that’s happening...

- 3-minute reading conferences between student and teacher every 2-3 weeks to review students’ thoughts on the reading, the themes, etc., review the handwritten notebook, and set a reading goal for the next conference. 

- Then I’ll use the groups’ epiphanies about humanity or writing or reading or whatever to extend their discussion. 

After Class:

- Weekly writing practice and personalized feedback.

- Repeat

Reading, writing, thinking, speaking... skills; not “stuff to do” for the sake of doing stuff. Not the whole day on the computer. Work can be completed away from the screen, outside, and through talking with peers when it’s most convenient for each person. I’m feeling better about it but still missing some things I want, and plan, to do. 

Let me know what you think. And if you’d rather chat than stay typing on your screen, Vox me.

Stay focused on your wellness. I wish the same for your friends.

MT

PS Go to sleep!! 

PPS I’m proud of you.