Summer Advisor 2021

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SUMMER 2021 CEA ADVISOR 11

STUDENTS’ STORIES OF PANDEMIC LEARNING: WHAT WE MISSED, WHY TEACHERS MATTER

As the last school year drew to a close, educators throughout Connecticut participated in a Teacher Leader Fellowship Academy Institute to share stories about how they navigated the past year with creativity, innovation, collaboration, and resiliency. The academy helps teachers become leaders for change in their classrooms and provides opportunities to network, develop best practices, and support one another. One of the highlights of this year’s virtual institute was a session featuring stories from high school students during the pandemic. Facilitated by Newington High School counselor Jessica Slater, the session included firsthand accounts from students about what it was like learning under different models at her school—in person, hybrid, and remote—and how teachers and school counselors were a lifeline during turbulent, fast-changing, and often isolating times. “After the abrupt change to the way schools had to operate early in the pandemic,” says Slater, “not only did teachers have to continually adjust and problem-solve, but students had to shift from one learning model to another, often with little notice.” At the Teacher Leader Fellowship Academy event co-hosted by CEA, these students shared creative ways that their teachers connected with them and lessons that resonated. Technical, social barriers Student Sam Drozd summed up the experience he and many other students had. “The transition from in-person to online was a lot,” he said. “There were technical barriers, plus when you’re sitting alone at a desk trying to be at school and you hear a lawn mower or a phone or a knock on your door, it pulls you away. And it’s much more difficult to connect to teachers through a screen. Not connecting to teachers on a personal level heavily impacted my learning. I didn’t understand topics as well, I wasn’t able to apply myself as well, and on tests I couldn’t remember the content as well.” Jesus Cintron found the remote learning experience similarly frustrating—and lonely. “It was harder to have the motivation to get things done,” he explained. “There were so many technology barriers affecting everyone. My Internet would act up, and not everyone was tech- savvy, so it was hard for some of us to get our work done. Teachers were affected as well. Now that we’re back in school, we’re having class discussions and having teachers engaging with you, motivating you, and interacting with you. Being back in person is the best.” Owen Doyle and Danielle Day entered the pandemic year as freshmen. “I don’t know how high school was before COVID,” said Owen, “but I don’t learn well from home, and it’s nothing to do with teachers; I just have a hard time learning that

way. Being in person is great, because you can connect with teachers, and we feel like we are in it together.” “My freshman year, everything was abruptly cut short because of COVID,” Danielle recalls, although she acknowledges, “I did pretty well with remote learning and learning at my own pace. More teachers were using technology, and sometimes our teachers would ask us for help with technology, which was kind of nice to be able to help and feel like we’re in this together, and we’re a family. They were there for us, and we were there for them.” Spotty connections “Though I enjoyed the independence,” senior Emily Chojnicki acknowledged, “remote learning was overwhelming. “I felt myself slipping through and losing motivation. Going into senior year, I had all my colleges figured out, so that wasn’t a big stressor for me, but something I did struggle with was navigating all the teaching styles.” She adds, “Remote learning took away my confidence and my chance to go up to teachers and have time with them and not miss my chance to ask a question. In an in- person environment, you’re able to walk into a classroom and have impromptu conversations. For clubs and service projects, we also really missed out.” “At first, remote seemed exciting,” recalled Katherine Doll. “We were going to try something different. But very quickly I realized finding the motivation to get work done from home was difficult. I didn’t know my teachers as well as I would have in a normal, in-person year, and I was not getting as much one-on-one time with them, like you do when you’re in person. The lack of structure was very difficult, and being at home felt very isolating, even after Google Meets and teachers checking in. I’m a social person, and being by myself was hard.” When Newington High School moved to a hybrid model, Katherine looked forward to coming back to school and seeing familiar faces. But, she admits, “Going in and out was confusing, and teachers had to keep

Newington High School students, with the guidance of school counselor Jessica Slater, share their experiences with different learning models under COVID, stressing the importance of seeing and connecting with their teachers. Top to bottom: Jessica Slater, students Danielle Day, Jesus Cintron, Katherine Doll, Navier Paulino, Sam Drozd, and Owen Doyle. constant track of which information they covered with which class. When I returned to full in-person learning, even though I was anxious with COVID precautions, I liked being in class. There was an uptick in my academics and how I felt.” Little things make a big difference Navier Paulino, a senior who came to Newington from Hartford, said, “At the start of COVID, I didn’t think it would be as catastrophic as it was. But it really messed up sports, my work ethic was horrendous, and I lost my job. Arguably, I was in my best quarter of junior year, on track for high honors, but then online learning was not the best for me. Being in a school setting kept me focused and emotionally attached to teachers—having that connection, knowing I could trust them. After going online and being at home, I felt alone. It was not good for me. Coming back into school I knew I was going to have a connection again with my teachers, and I started to do better, but my social skills weren’t top-tier, like they had been before. I like having eight periods a day and seeing all my teachers every day. I was able to talk to them more, and I could stay after school if I needed.” Navier, who aspires to be a social worker, described one of the seemingly small but critical benefits of in-person learning—the chance for impromptu, face-to-face interactions with educators who know and care about their students. “One time, my school counselor, Jessica Slater, stopped me in the hall,” he recalled. “We went into her office, and she talked to me for five minutes. Those five minutes of having someone check in on you, to see how you’re doing—that makes all the difference.”

Missed the Teacher Leader Fellowship Academy Institute? Watch the recorded event at cea.org/event/tlfp-conference . Interested in participating? Learn more at sacredheart.edu/news-room/news- listing/shu-invites-connecticut-educators- to-join-leadership-academy .