Group Discussion 1
On Sunday, December 13 and Tuesday December 15, the research team met with groups of educators to discuss two emerging themes from the one-on-one interviews conducted with educators since November: transparency in decision-making and equity in virtual learning (and beyond). So far, about 28 educators from at least 12 states have reached out to participate in this project. Below are summaries from two nights of the working groups:
Equity in Virtual Learning (and Beyond)
Our discussions focused primarily on the ways in which the inequitable distribution of resources affected students and the school community. One of the main points centered around the different levels of institutions have access to--some schools had 1:1 chromebook initiatives while others did not--but even within these differences how technology shaped student experience. Teachers talked openly about the fact that wifi access and hardware issues limited what they could do. They also focused on the ways that differences in digital literacy among their students and families shaped their work. In addition, we talked about the tendency of administrators to focus on the bureaucratic nature of schools--attendance, testing, observations, etc--over authentic engagement and remote instruction. There was a sense of a return to the "new normal" even though we are still dealing with a significant pandemic in our communities and schools.
Transparency in Decision-Making
Our discussions focused on how educators feel they have not been included in a number of decisions surrounding the discussion to reopen schools. Many educators noted that while the district/other decision makers were engaging and surveying parents, and even principals, there was little attempt to engage educators. Many also expressed differences in level of support from their own unions, including some that felt they had to convince union leadership to advocate for educators around professional development, PPE, and other support. Educators also expressed concern around the ability to challenge decisions - specifically, many reopening plans were created in and voted on in the summer, and as schools set to reopen in the fall/winter, there has not been any renewed discussion or public debate. Finally, many educators felt abandoned by larger systems/existing protections, and that they were powerless/unable to speak out against concerns around safety, reopening, and other labor issues.
For educators who were either working in-person or in hybrid models, there was significant discussion around consistency during in-person/hybrid operations. Many of the protocols developed over the summer and early autumn did not reflect the severity and scale of the COVID pandemic. Many educators noted that scenarios emerged that they felt that did not have clear guidance on them (e.g., the number of days to quarantine when someone has been exposed to someone who has not yet shown symptoms, but has tested positive for COVID). Finally, one educator noted that over time, protocols and administration do not “err on the side of safety, but on the side of tightness.” That is, schools become more lax with quarantines and safety measures that could increase risk for in-person teaching.
On a positive note, many educators noted that teaching virtually has opened up the classroom, and allowed them to “see” into students Home-life, which they feel has increased what they know about students. Conversely, they feel that parents and caregivers are also gaining insight into what the educational experience is like in their child’s classroom. This is viewed as an opportunity to better engage and link issues at home, in the classroom, and in the school community.
The educators have agreed to create collaborative workspaces to share and support one another. We hope to continue to work collaboratively to lift up these experiences and create a more informed discussion on K-12 education in the US.