Many teachers in Yellowknife are feeling stretched to the limit working remotely while schools are closed, education leaders say.
Remote learning took effect when all schools in Yellowknife, Dettah and Ndilo were closed on May 3 amid the the COVID-19 outbreak at N.J. Macpherson school.
It was the second round of virtual education in Yellowknife after the initial COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 shuttered all schools in the territory to in-person learning.
Challenges for teachers and students
The change to remote learning was stressful even before the virtual classes began for students on May 3, said NWT Teachers Association (NWTTA) President Matthew Miller on May 12.
SA国际影视传媒淎s ready as you can be, it is not as simple as pushing a button,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淪tudents who excel in class do not always translate into online learners. Some supports offered in the class cannot be put in place for a student working from home. There are many personal considerations because many teachers are parents, too.SA国际影视传媒�
The full days spent in front of computer screens proved challenging for many teachers as well.
SA国际影视传媒淪ome teachers felt comfortable with the full schedule as it brought some normalcy, but that was not the universal feeling,SA国际影视传媒� Miller said.
He noted that the sharing of Chromebooks and other learning technologies with students proceeded more smoothly this time compared to 2020 though SA国际影视传媒渟till not perfectly.SA国际影视传媒�
He commended the work of some school administrators and teachers who created class schedules that allowed siblings to be online at different times.
To encourage teachers across the territory, the NWTTA has posted images on its Facebook page showing indoor and outdoor activities that its members do to take care of their mental health.
SA国际影视传媒淎s difficult as this year has been, there is no doubt educators have remained professional and continue to offer their best to the students of the NWT,SA国际影视传媒� Miller said, just hours before chief public health officer Dr. Kami Kandola announced schools would reopen on May 17.
Miller spoke a day after some members of the Yellowknife Education District No. 1 (YK1) board of trustees expressed concern about the condition of teachers working remotely since May 3.
SA国际影视传媒楿nsustainable amount of time onlineSA国际影视传媒�
Trustee Al McDonald said in the virtual meeting on May 11 that he was SA国际影视传媒渆xtremely worriedSA国际影视传媒� about the conditions teachers and families are currently experiencing.
SA国际影视传媒淥ur staff are at the lowest point, in my opinion that theySA国际影视传媒檝e ever been,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淎s we forge forward, the amount of time theySA国际影视传媒檙e spending online isnSA国际影视传媒檛 a sustainable amount. If a family has four students in YK1 schools and they have only one device, the math does not add up.SA国际影视传媒�
McDonald added that very few teachers are trained to properly deliver programs online and that more work needs to be done to equalize the work loads of staff.
Yk1 superintendent Ed Lippert expressed sympathy with teachers and agreed that the time spent in front of screens can be problematic.
Teachers have tried to implement alternative educational activities, such as paper packages, reading books or building projects that take students away from computers.
But he said that teachers are doing exceptionally well in the circumstances, considering that they received late night calls on May 2 informing them schools would close the next day.
SA国际影视传媒淰ery suddenly to get a call at midnight on Sunday and (being) told school is closed the next day and needing to get things ready. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 literally what happened. I feel badly for many of our students and parents who were also learning (about closures) that night or the next morning. We hope for better times in the future because this has been a wild year.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒楨xcited to return to classesSA国际影视传媒�
The situation hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 been as stressful for teachers at Sir John Franklin High School as it has at other schools in the city.
After the SA国际影视传媒済iganticSA国际影视传媒� step to online learning that Sir John teachers experienced last year, it was a more straightforward transition on May 3, said principal Dean MacInnis.
SA国际影视传媒漈here has been stress but not necessarily with the shift to remote learning, more just stress about the outbreak. The teaching component for my staff was probably the least stressful,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
Before the N.J. outbreak, the format of Sir John classes was already set up so that students had more self-study time in the afternoons.
SA国际影视传媒淭eachers do Zoom and Google meetings with our classes all morning. The afternoon is more drawn back for tutoring time and homework time. If (the closure) was going to go longer we would have to expand the amount of screen time to finish our courses.SA国际影视传媒�
With schools permitted to reopen on May 17, MacInnis said both teachers and students are excited to return to in-person learning.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e been hearing from staff how happy the kids are to get back on Monday. We only have classes for one more month, so time is precious not just to see their friends but to finish their courses.SA国际影视传媒�
Not all students will be able to return on May 17 as some will still be waiting for their COVID-19 test results to clear them to leave self-isolation.
MacInnis couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 specify how many would still be isolating on May 17 but plans are in place so they can continue remote learning until they can return to in-person classes.
