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The pandemic has been raging on for a year, and there is no end in sight. As a student in the pandemic, here is what I’ve learned. I’ll be discussing the impact of the pandemic on students and teachers.
Yes, the teachers as well. Let’s not forget them. They seem to be contributing to the stresses students are experiencing, but what’s the reality? It isn’t easy to comprehend the other side, but let’s try.
What is happening? I’ve had a couple of discussions via FT, Zoom (whatever the appropriate social distancing communication) about the workload this year vs the last. So far everyone I’ve talked to has less workload and yet higher level of stress.
Take me for example, last year I was working part time, had a max course load, was an executive in a student academic society, and headed a team of 25 people. I had the best GPA I’ve ever had in my university career. Amazing!
Now flash forward a year, and I have a terrible GPA, no job, no extracurriculars, and am barely managing the same course load. Welp. That’s reality for me. And it seems to be the reality of most students right now.
Why is this happening? Let’s look at some facts and figures. Because wouldn’t you know it? I’m not alone in this and neither are you. 71% of students are stressed and full of anxiety (Son et al., 2020).
Different factors contribute to this and majority of them affect more than 50% of students in varying percentages (Son et al., 2020). Many more factors exist, look into that research I pulled this data from. In my charts, I picked factors I thought most related to education.
As a student, what is giving you the most stress?
Many of the difficulties students face, teachers are facing too. Just like students are learning through a new teaching environment, teachers are teaching through one. Online education is not a new concept, so it isn’t exactly the stressor (Flaherty, 2020).
However, the overnight shift and lack of preparation is (Flaherty, 2020). This technological burnout is not something we’re prepared for.
In my university, teachers are given workshops to help them navigate the interfaces used for online school, like zoom. They also created a website specifically to teach online. However, students were not given the same opportunity.
Also, just because we know what button to press to make something work doesn’t equate to an understanding of the negative effects it has on us.
Now, let’s look at the other side: the teachers. You might have noticed a decrease in the quality of teaching. It’s easy to forget that teachers have lives outside of their students. Being a student is difficult, but so is being a teacher.
This might be an upsetting point for some students because examples like this exist:
https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/last-chance-bad-sign-york-profs-emails-to-student-based-in-myanmar-draw-criticism
https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/last-chance-bad-sign-york-profs-emails-to-student-based-in-myanmar-draw-criticism
Have you had a similar experience as a student?
I am making a call for empathy. In times like this empathy is necessary on both sides. So, what can we do? Of course, the pandemic won’t just end. Solutions for dealing with the pandemic are needed. Here are the most pressing issues that need to be talked about.
From the previous data I showed, students are really stressing over their course load and academic performance. It’s harder to perform at the same level as pre-pandemic me, and all of my friends and colleagues are having the same issue.
I don’t think it’s a tall order to ask for a smaller course load and expecting leniency while grading. As a teacher, are you willing to provide the accommodations?
QRT with other things that can help you as a student.
Let’s get into the difficulties of teachers. Teachers are experiencing secondary trauma. Many teachers are being pushed into doing counselling for their students. Something they aren’t trained to do.
Not anyone can be a therapist, especially not without the training of managing other’s burden while giving them counselling.
Sure, that’s up to the teacher and they could easily refuse but I think we’d be criticizing the wrong thing. Why are untrained people expected to do something out of their job description? Why are schools stepping up the counselling they offer on campus?
Why are resources not on the front lines?
Are any resources available on campus?
Both students and faculty are a responsibility of schools that hire and educate them. So, what can schools do? Screenings. A universal one and a systematic one. Prior to COVID 15-20% of students needed mental health support.
This number has to be higher now. We need to provide support for the new number of students and faculty in need of support.
I end this thread with a question. If both students and teachers are miserable in the midst of pandemic education, who’s burden are they carrying?
Here are some resources.
https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-health-and-covid-19
https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/covid-19-coronavirus
https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-health-and-covid-19
https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/covid-19-coronavirus
