Category: UNSDG – 4

In the following interview, we ask Francine McKenzie, an educator, about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on professional training and what things can parents do to support teacher’s during this ongoing pandemic.

Interviewer: Has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted or changed your and/or your colleagues ongoing or annual professional training? How? 

McKenzie: As a result of the covid 19 pandemic my colleagues and I have had mixed experiences during our professional development (PD) exercises. On the one hand there were certain topics of a technical nature where hands-on face-to-face training would have been more beneficial. For example, the virtual training in using the Ministry of Education’s Learning Management System was not beneficial to me because I need one-on-one and in-person training with such a technical topic. I felt completely lost during those virtual training sessions.

On a positive note, the virtual training platform means that a variety of sessions are located in one place, my computer, and therefore I have more session offerings available to me. For a special educator who teaches at both high school and elementary school levels, this is a huge benefit.  In contrast when PD sessions are face-to-face, one is limited to staying in one physical location where sessions are subject specific and grade level specific.

In addition to having more flexible training the virtual platform enables us to interact with colleagues and trainers in the global environment. The virtual experience eliminates travel and living costs and increases the availability of experts in the field of education. We are thus able to participate in training opportunities not locally offered.

Interviewer: As we observe World Teachers Day, what else can parents do to support teachers?

McKenzie: Whenever I host a parent-teacher conference I gently remind parents that they are their child’s first and primary teacher. The covid-19 pandemic has proven just how true this statement is. Parents have found themselves, some unwillingly, filling in the role of teacher or teacher’s aide during the virtual learning experience.  I believe that this time is their opportunity to shine…for their child. I would love if all parents embraced this “newly-discovered” role with a passion that matches and even exceeds my own passion for teaching. 

Every morning there is a particular parent who sends me a message that can brighten the gloomiest of days.  Literally. I currently teach a widely mixed group of students and there are times when working as a whole group online is nearly impossible. After a disastrous lesson (in my opinion) I got the following voice-note: “Ms. McKenzie, you are doing an awesome job…..you can see that you are passionate about what you do………(student) is participating.”

A few words, when things seemed to be falling apart, went a long way in lifting my spirits. I realized in that moment that we teachers do benefit from encouraging words and actions as much as our students do.

In the following interview, we ask Alexandria Turnquest, an educator, questions about this international day and generally about the effectiveness of virtual classes and how local communities can further support teachers during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Interviewer: The use of technology is expected to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of delivering services.  As far as you are aware, have virtual classes improved the efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery of classes?  In your view are students generally more at risk of being left behind?  If so, then how and why?

Turnquest: Learning is a personal thing, you have to want to understand and as a result you will do what is required for you to achieve the level of understanding that is required to say that you have learned something. Students who have realized this will flourish, with or without the teacher, as they have developed a level of intrinsic motivation. The use of virtual classes has not affected this student as severely as it has the unmotivated or academically challenged student, the exception to this being the lack of technical support for this student, i.e. If the student lacks internet access, or a device that can handle the rigours of virtual classes or the skill to manipulate the device to attend virtual classes. These three deficiencies are a problem for any student no matter the academic ability.

The word efficient is defined as a system achieving maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense or an individual working in a well-organized and competent way. The word effective is defined as success in producing a desired or intended result. With these in mind, I cannot say that this process has been efficient as the productivity is subjective, yes we have held classes, but how many students have attended? Did the students learn anything in those classes? So the hours of preparation by the teacher, which most definitely is NOT minimum effort, has it been wasted? The teacher, being one of the individuals in this scenario, in order to achieve a level of organization and competency, has developed many strategies to ensure that the teaching –learning dynamic is achieved. Teaching ONE class can be a delicate balance of using the Ministry of Education’s prescribed virtual programme on one computer, along with an additional computer/tablet for resource material, using your cell phone to included those students unable to utilize that platform, meanwhile fielding texts or calls from parents and students experiencing technical challenges and being mindful of the student whose data is about to run out.

Having spent four weeks in these virtual classrooms there are many students who have not attended classes on a regular basis for reasons that are varied but unknown if schools are not made aware of the challenges they may be facing. Some parents and students haven’t taken this seriously and are still hoping that we return face to face, while others think that this is “pretend school”. These delinquent students are typically the low flyers, the unmotivated and ones in greatest need of individualized attention.

Interview: What can local communities do to further support teachers during this COVID-19 pandemic?

Turnquest: I can say that I am currently sitting in a luxurious position as my former challenges with internet access have been significantly reduced. Had this virtual teaching been required of us last academic year, it would have been IMPOSSIBLE. Having internet access is crucial to the delivery of virtual lessons, so if only this one thing can be provided for teachers it will be one step closer to effectively and efficiently deliver virtual lessons.

Parental support is crucial. There are many instances where the household is unsettled, noisy and completely distracting. Students need a quiet space to focus on the lessons and be able to freely participate in the classes. Students should not be babysitting or doing chores while in virtual classes, or be made to feel embarrassed by their parent’s unruly behaviour in the background.

It is my belief that a marriage between the old and new would bring best results as we transition to this more technological era in education. By simply providing a hard copy workbook for the students to complete assignments in while teaching virtually and providing notes digitally, I think would give the parents and students a more traditional approach to attaining grades and completing assignments while pushing them to access information virtually.

It is also my hope that research is done to determine what has been working and what challenges we have had to correct them and improve the delivery of education in the future.

In the following interview, we ask Veron Adderley, an educator, questions about this international day and generally about how the COVID-19 pandemic changed teaching and whether there has been a renewed appreciation for teachers in the wake of the pandemic.

Interviewer: What are some of the ways that teaching has changed for you and your colleagues since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Adderley: Since the beginning of the pandemic, a lot has for me and my colleagues in teaching. We have had to transition from full face to face teaching and collaboration to the full online educational environment. This has resulted in teachers having to quickly learn new strategies and technologies which otherwise would may have taken years for us as whole to learn and adopt. The workload has undoubtedly, increased for teachers but so has creativity. Many teachers find themselves spending less time marking as a result of technology that can do so automatically and more time planning more creative ways to keep students engaged amidst the many distractions that students encounter while they are away from school. Teachers also found themselves in continual training courses and sessions both on their own and professionally as well as in frequent virtual meetings and having to be readily available to the answer the questions of students and parents well outside of the normal school hours. Despite the many challenges that exist with online education, teachers have been become more united and consistent in instruction taught across the various different schools. They have also embraced technology and new innovative ideas on a wider and more in depth scale. Having increased collaboration and meetings through online platforms as educators they have planned, shared and agreed on resources and instructional content that should be delivered to students in a team effort. Many teachers have even been engaged in team teaching in the virtual space to increase effectiveness of content delivery and to better educate our students. Though online teaching has its limitations it also has its benefits and a merger of both face to face and online teaching promises to be an effective and viable path for the future growth of the education system.

Interviewer: In your view, since the beginning of the pandemic, has there been a renewed appreciation of teachers and the role they play in supporting social and economic life of the bahamian society? Please explain.

Adderley: Yes certainly there has been a renewed appreciation of teachers and the role they play in supporting the life of the Bahamian society both socially and economically. People in general have been concerned about how the current lack of face to face instruction from teachers will affect student achievement across the Commonwealth of The Bahamas as online education continues to be the norm for many schools during the pandemic. Their concern is how this will impact The Bahamas in the future as it is widely accepted that face to face instruction is superior to online education for children because the teacher is physically present to manage the class better. Parents themselves have begun to recognize the need for increased communication and partnership with teachers so that their children will not miss out on being taught the knowledge and skills necessary to function effectively in society. Many of them have been calling teachers outside of school hours to ask questions related to their child’s academic performance, classes enrollment and conduct. In some cases where parents did not have the teacher’s contact some of them have reached out to the school as well as fellow teachers to leave their contact for their child’s teacher. Society’s appreciation of teachers and the role they play in supporting the social and economic life of our society is shown in the support they have given during this pandemic even as parents who are home during school hours have ensured that their child is present to class and focusing on the lesson taught rather than being disruptive. Finally, more and more parents are becoming dedicated to making sure that their children have devices to take advantage of online instruction from their teachers.