Episode 8a: Being an Educator in Uncharted Times

By Jessica Garrison 

The past few years have been anything but normal for everyone, no matter your background or geographic location. But having to adjust your whole career’s structure within a week is a new level of stress that I could never imagine experiencing. Educators not only had to adjust to a new environment of working at home rather than working in a school, but they had to adjust the way they’ve taught students for years. Students who may not be as good at adjusting as others, or students who saw going to school as an escape, who no longer have a place to go where they feel safe. The added pressure of making all of those students successful is an intimidating hurdle to conquer, and we want to shed a light on those who have accomplished the impossible. 

The first part of The F.E.E.L Podcast’s teacher appreciation week features educators Amy Stuart VanderMaas, Clay Kennedy, and Morgan Kirkpatrick. The three of them come from a variety of areas of study, age, background, and school districts; they offer their personal experiences with the 2020 school year and all the adjustments that had to come with it. With social distancing, remote learning, and mask mandates becoming widely politicized, it was difficult enough ground to cover as a student—I can’t imagine having to be the adult in charge who is also under the scrutiny of parents and a school board. The three of them share their journey and the lessons they learned while teaching during the pandemic. 

The biggest takeaway I got from listening to these incredible people talk is that leaning on one another and supporting one another was essential to getting through these trying times. Despite all of the differences in their experiences and how they handled the situations, this they could agree upon. No one knew better what they were going through than the educator next to them, and knowing you are not alone is part of the confidence we all need. 

Morgan talked about her experiences at home and how she never “turned it off.” When you have your schooling at home, it’s a difficult boundary to establish. It used to be so easy to decipher where your work life ends and your personal life begins, but with remote work, that line continues to get blurry. Melissa said it perfectly during this discussion: “[Home] is supposed to be my rest place, but it is no longer feeling restful.” Each person has to figure out how they’re going to divide up their time when they’re working from home and discover the boundaries for themselves. I’ve been learning this over the last few months as the featured blog writer, while still trying to balance my writing and my free time. I would say this conversation was my favorite part of the episode because even if you aren’t an educator, this topic can resonate with anyone, specifically those who work from home and are trying to find a balance. 

Another lesson that was imperative to learn after the pandemic was saying “no.” When everything is available at the touch of a finger, you have to respect the boundaries you’ve created for yourself. Otherwise, your mental health will suffer for it. Teachers are such relied upon individuals that Clay stated he would feel guilty for saying no to certain events. He felt that he wouldn’t be asked unless he was truly needed, so he felt like he had to keep saying yes or else he wouldn’t be good enough. It’s a deeply emotional toll it takes on a person to have such a weight on your shoulder. I really admire Clay for acknowledging the struggle and speaking openly about it.  

While sharing stories of how this profession and its changes have had an effect on their emotional and physical health, Amy shared her story that I found quite interesting. She said when the mask mandate was recently withdrawn, so many of the kids continued to wear their masks, which she found unexpected. The difference between her region and the others’ is that she worked with a lot of minorities and those who don’t come from a strong socioeconomic background—this observation speaks volumes to the understanding that we don’t know what other people are going through. Amy’s attention to detail in the classroom helps us realize how important our differences are and respecting them can only unify us more.  

Everyone learns differently, so to suddenly be forced into a specific environment where you might not feel the most focused, the most safe, or the most calm, can affect your learning ability. But there wasn’t a choice with this. Educators just had to make the adjustments and try to help their students in the best ways they could. 

I believe that teaching is one of the most admiral jobs a person can have. They are responsible for the education and growth of young people and have the power to change them in profound ways. I’ve mentioned before that I have a teacher who inspired me to be a writer, and I’ve had countless others who encouraged me to follow my dreams along the way. Without them being positive figures in my life, I know I could never be where I am today. I’m sure everyone has a teacher they look back on fondly and can thank them for their future in some capacity. It’s kind of a magical moment when you realize how much one profession, one person can have an effect on you. Thank you to Amy, Clay, Morgan, and all of the teachers out there who have changed the world for the better. We appreciate you.