Professional Title: English Teacher and Department Chair

Class Year: 2008

Major: English; Secondary Education

Location: Charlotte, NC

Education Experience: 12 years

Please share your experience working with students during the pandemic?

When we were asked to leave school back in March, teachers were immediately asked to prepare assignments in the event that students would remain home for a few days. Little did we know, we’d all be working from home for the next 6 months and counting. During the early stages of the pandemic, most students were receptive and understanding surrounding the circumstances, but there were quite a few that we lost touch with. Keeping in contact via email, Remind, and on Zoom was a struggle initially as many of my students were also essential workers at local grocery stores and delivery companies. Now, in this current phase, students have a better idea of the expectations and I see most of them on a daily basis via Zoom. To begin the semester, I sent personal letters in the mail to each of my students as a reminder of our connection first as people and then as teacher to student. This seems to have impacted my classes positively as my students have been open to sharing their experiences and observations of the world we are in. We have built trust, and that has been the motivation for most of them to progress with this new educational experience in the midst of the pandemic.

What advice would you give to people during this pandemic?

My advice to people during this pandemic is to keep faith in God’s provision and practice patience. We have all been challenged in ways we never imagined, so we have to approach each day as a larger part of a journey to learn about how we can be better as humans to ourselves and others around us.