I Survived The Longest School Year
I’ve made it through some tough stretches in school during my life. The last month of high school was harder than it needed to be. My sophomore year of college pushed me to my limits. Transitioning to a fully remote classroom last March challenged all of us.
This week though, as I submitted my final grades for the semester, I paused and realized I had made it through what I hope will be the hardest school year of my life.
Teaching seven classes, advising several dozen students, and being a faculty advisor for a student organization is a lot of work. Add in a global pandemic, a hybrid tutorial approach to teaching, and everything else going on around me, and it takes that to a whole new level.
As a contingent faculty member, my focus is on teaching. But, this year, I added several committees to my workload, including helping design a possible new major, helping shape the future of our innovation spaces, and developing advocacy for fellow non-tenure colleagues. I’ve come to learn that this is known as “service” in higher education, but I’ll always see it as part of doing a good job to help your organization be successful.
What made the year so long and difficult was the mixture of the unknown and the constant extra work to make the learning experience equal for our on-campus and remote students. It would have been easier on me to choose to teach only remotely, but I felt compelled to do what I could for the school and our students and be in the classroom for both.
This meant that every weekend was spent developing and recording lectures for all my classes. Then, I’d teach to my on-campus students in smaller groups and all of my remote students in separate sessions. As I told them repeatedly, this wasn’t how any of us wanted our classes to be, but we’d make it work and do all we could.
Reflecting, it feels strange not to know my students as well as I usually do. Between black Zoom squares and masks always on, I won’t know many of the students when I see them on campus in the fall. Thankfully I made many meaningful connections with new students, and I know that as we safely begin to emerge from our collective COVID cocoons, those relationships will continue to grow.
This summer, I find myself without any solid plans and minimal commitments. I’m excited to be developing a new course with a colleague for the fall semester called “Storytelling and Social Change.” I’m a big fan of our First Year Experience classes because it allows me to teach from the other side of my brain.
This weekend is Commencement, and it’ll be the first time I can participate. Instead of one big ceremony, we will have six smaller ones, and I’m attending all of them because it feels like the respectful thing for our students and because I have students I personally want to celebrate in each of the ceremonies.
Plus, some of these students I haven’t seen since last March, and it’ll be a joyful reunion with them. Several of the graduates were some of my first students, and I’ve had the privilege and honor to watch them grow as young adults and inspiring humans.
It was a LONG school year that I’m glad is behind me. With the changes coming, I know next year will be full of new challenges, but I’m optimistic that we'll be alright if what needs to be done is done.
To all the educators out there, thank you for all you do at all levels of teaching. Many of us have worked more hours, for no more (and for some of us less) money, and emotionally have paid the price because we care so much about our student’s well-being. I salute every one of you for putting in all you’ve got to make things work.
Next year has to be better.
