The Pandemic: A Teacher’s Perspective
Life as we knew it has become almost unrecognizable, seemingly overnight. Like a phantom, Covid-19 has snuck up on us all, reshaping our lives with no clear end in sight. Every family across America, has been impacted to some degree. In every home our kitchen tables are now classrooms. Equipped with educational packets, our children now look to us for daily instruction. Presented with a task that none of us thought we would ever be able to get done, we did what any American or parent would do. Our best. Now, with that being said, I hope that I can speak for everyone when I say that we are humbled, appreciative and stand in full respect and acknowledgment of the role Teachers play in our lives.
Over the past week I sat down in an interview with Nicole Tiagha. A mom of two, wife and teacher at Snyder High School in Jersey City. In our interview, Nicole shared candidly about her experience up to this point, during this pandemic. Things like how she is navigating the changes both personally and as a teacher. How she felt about the action taken regarding school closures. Were they ready as a faculty? Was it handled well? How does she see it going from a teacher’s point of view? Then some surprising comments about her peers.
HOME LIFE AND MOM VS. TEACHER
As a mom and teacher Nicole has an incredibly unique perspective in regard to personal and educational changes due to this pandemic. How she handles them both is nothing short of commendable. This is now our new normal, there is no escaping that fact. For Nicole that also means acknowledging that both her own children and work children’s life has changed as well.
Being a mom of a toddler and teen can be a challenge in itself. Then if you add our ‘new normal’…well Nicole said it best “I am just trying not to get to stress out about it”. She acknowledged that as we entered into week 4, things were finally beginning to feel normal, with her biggest concern being having enough food, if stores were to close. A concern to which we all can relate. As for navigating the change of schooling both her kids and students from at home, Nicole and her family have finally found that sweet spot. Nicole and her husband have a dynamic that simply works. They keep the kids busy with fun activities and allow for independent play for their 3-year-old and personal time for their teenager. When it comes to staying on task educationally their older daughter is extremely proficient in completing her assigned task with Nicole taking time to go over any completed assignments. Then Nicole’s husband fully takes over the completion of the assigned pre-K curriculum for their youngest daughter. This leaves Nicole the time she needs to do daily Zoom calls with her class, keeping up with their educational and sometimes emotional needs. It is safe to say that they have finally found a great flow. She did admit though, her one learning lesson came while instructing her 3-year-old, when she saw the contrast in teaching styles for Pre-K in comparison to High School. A lesson she has fully enjoyed learning.
LIFE DURING THE PANDEMIC
As a teacher for 8 years Nicole is extremely passionate about her students and the level of education and support, she presents to them. This rang true throughout our interview, there is no doubt that she loves her job and her students. On March 13th, 2020, when New Jersey Public Schools closed due the spread of Covid-19, Nicole was emotional, for 2 reasons. She knew that the teaching environment would look completely different and she was out that day due to a scheduled appointment and did not get to see her kids before the lockdown.
As she highlighted, the biggest change is the in-person experience of teaching. That connection is now had virtually. However, there are certain aspects of the teaching process that need a continuing dialogue. Such as how Nicole would use articles from the local newspapers that she would buy on her way to work, just to link her lessons to current affairs. With this additional resource came open ended conversations allowing for a deeper understanding of the lesson being taught. Experiences like that cannot be effectively had online. Experiences like that cannot be had virtually. Now her instruction is limited to giving examples and resource links to students, then follow up in Zoom calls during the week. Where this is somewhat effective, there is one drawback. The exclusion of those kids that would normally participate but cannot due to lack of proper resources.
It is no secret that many families struggle. Our focus is usually on food insecurity, but there is another moving part to struggling families that affect children, as we go through this pandemic. The absence of devices and internet access make it impossible for those students to stay on task educationally. Then a struggle we often do not think about, those kids that are verbally and physically abused daily, with school being their only break and sense of normalcy. While speaking with Nicole I could sense her concern for those kids that may have a less than a ‘normal’ home life, so much so that it caused us both to pause, giving us both something to think about.
Although this situation presented to all of us is less than optimal, we are all adapting, with Nicole and some of the staff at Snyder doing just that. Nicole takes time to call families, not only regarding academics but also to check on their well-being and to offer any assistance. Ms. Rebecca Posey, a fashion teacher at Snyder takes the time to make much needed face mask, mentioned in a piece written for the Jersey Journal by Joshua Rosario. While Jersey City, along with principles are identifying student who require devices and access to internet and supplying those much-needed resources.
All in all, from Nicole’s professional perspective the JCBOE(Jersey City Board of Education) handled things as best they could with the knowledge they had and the time in which they had to implement these changes. With all the planning aimed for a 2 week closures and a global pandemic, which is ever evolving, it is clear that JCBOE has the safety of us all in mind and while ensuring and consistent educational flow, as we fight Covid-19. So yes it may mean that schools are closed and this may be a big adjustment for us as parents, but with teachers like Nicole Tiagha, you can be rest assured that you and your children will get the support you need.
LIFE AFTER
Nicole was an amazing interview, sharing a wealth of information and a candid view through a teachers’ eyes. As for how things will look educationally after this pandemic? Her answer presented another thinking point. Although, there is a proposed date for schools to be reopened, Nicole knows that we are in an ever-changing environment and, with the number of cases where they are today, she is planning her lessons for the rest of the school year. She also acknowledged, that there will be many kids that are not truly ready for the next grade and it will be the teacher’s job to bring the kids to the educational level they need to be, while simultaneously, keeping on task with the current grade level. Sounds really intense. It is.
On our life after as nation. Nicole like most of us is unsure what that will look like but, just as there was life after 911, there will be life after Covid-19. Different, but there will be life with aspects of our new normal becoming just our normal.
Her advice, “You can never truly control a situation; you can only control how you respond to it”
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Thank you to Nicole Tiagha for taking the time to share her views.
Special acknowledgement to Joshua Rosario|The Jersey Journal whose piece entitled ‘Hospitals call for more masks; Hudson County residents answer the call’ is referenced in the above piece
