Page 11 - DistanceLearning

There have been many lessons I’ve learned Also included in the graphic is a pyramid
since our schools began emergency remote based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Educators must be
This version prioritizes physiological
empathetic during this
learning on March 16th, but the most important needs, safety needs, love and belonging, time. Families need to
esteem, self-actualization, and school is
one for me has been about empathy. Families are strug- taking up the smallest part of the pyramid. prioritize wellness over
gling financially as family members are laid off and waiting for unemployment Knowing this, educators can “Focus on schoolwork. Perfection
benefits to arrive. Teachers are overwhelmed with their new responsibilities connection first, everything else second” is not possible, and we
while also teaching their own children at home. Students are missing us and according to Couros. need to have some
missing the needed technology to successfully participate. Administrators are grace at this time.
struggling to lighten the load for teachers and provide them with the support So what decisions can school leaders
they need. Clearly there are plenty of avenues to channel our empathy into. make that demonstrate empathy to all
our stakeholders? We need to recognize the professional burden placed on
A video aired on CBS This Morning that illustrated how parents are strug- our faculty and staff during this personally stressful time. School leaders can
gling to balance work with their kids’ remote learning. The video illustrates provide encouragement and ask them what they need. The same is true for
what educators are seeing everywhere. Many parents are overwhelmed families. Our principals and superintendent routinely make calls to families
with emergency remote learning. While parents work from home, they strug- with encouragement and ask them how we can help. We cannot replicate
gle to keep students focused on school work while they work from home what used to happen in school buildings at home, and we should not be
at the same time. Educators must be empathetic during this time. Families trying to do so. School leaders can continue to support Professional Learn-
need to prioritize wellness over schoolwork. Perfection is not possible, and ing Communities (PLCs) as they shift from previously created SMART Goals
we need to have some grace at this time. to survival techniques. Many of our seasoned educators feel like they are

In response to this, schools must focus on the social and emotional well-be- suddenly in their first year of teaching as they navigate new technology and
ing of students and families as a priority. The Somers Point School District platforms. As school leaders, we must support educational continuity, but not
recently began sharing wellness strategies and resources on social media without empathy for our teachers, students, and families.
on a daily basis. These tips can help families and educators manage men- An article in EdWeek articulated much of what I have been feeling. The ar-
tal health and the uncertainty of recent challenges. Strategies shared with ticle is titled, “This is Emergency Remote Teaching, Not Just Online Teach-
families and educators have included deep breathing and positive self-talk. ing” by Natalie B. Millman. I especially liked the subtitle: “There’s a Differ-
Physical education teachers are sharing ideas for physical activity and exer- ence.” I’m not alone in originally thinking we could recreate school exactly
cise. Guidance counselors are available to help students talk through their as we left it on March 13th in an online platform. Milman reminded me that,
feelings. Principals and guidance counselors are spending time listening “These are not normal teaching and learning conditions.” She writes about
to family members as they communicate their frustrations and challenges. “pandemic pedagogy.” Milman reminds us that there is no playbook for this,
Administrators have found that it is more important than ever to see humor but provides some useful suggestions that support teaching with empathy.
in situations and laugh at ourselves as we navigate this new terrain. My favorite is her last in the list of ten suggestions provided: Pause, listen,
A recent blog by George Couros provided a graphic with the COVID-19 reflect and learn. That has been necessary for me. We couldn’t expect to
Hierarchy of Needs for Schools. This included the statement that, “School is get it absolutely right in week one, or week two, or now in week six or sev-
important during this crisis but…not as important as the needs of our fami- en. And what is right for one family or teacher, may not be possible now for
lies who are experiencing anxiety and fear as we develop our new normal.” another. Empathy must lead our decisions and our responses.

References
Couros, G. (2020, April 8). Retrieved from https://connectedprincipals.com/archives/24550
Goldberg, J. (2018, September 23). Anger Management Techniques and Tips. Retrieved May 3, 2020, from https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/anger-management#1
Lederman, D. (2020, March 18). Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved May 3, 2020, from https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/article/2020/03/18/most-teaching-going-remote-will-
help-or-hurt-online-learning
Milman, N. B. (2020, March 30). This Is Emergency Remote Teaching, Not Just Online Teaching. EdWeek. Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/03/30/this-is-
emergency-remote-teaching-not-just.html
CBS. (2020, May 1). Parents struggle to balance work with their kids’ remote learning. CBS This Morning. New York, New York. Retrieved from https://www.cbsnews.com/video/par-
ents-struggle-to-balance-work-with-their-kids-remote-learning/ 11