I’ve Been Teaching 100% In-Person Since August—7 Things I’ve Lost This Year

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As an elementary public school teacher with over a decade of experience, I have worked with students aged 2½ to 10 years old. Throughout my career, I have supported children and families facing challenges such as ADHD, autism, and anxiety, and I have helped connect families to essential community resources. I have taught through personal hardships, including my own pregnancies, and have guided students during lockdowns, often questioning the reality of the situation. Like many educators, I left for spring break in March 2020 and never returned to my classroom that year. Since August, I’ve been teaching in a fully face-to-face environment, which spared me the difficulties of hybrid learning. However, I’ve never felt more exhausted. Here are seven significant losses for teachers and students during this pandemic.

1. Time

To ensure safe transitions, students now arrive straight to the classroom 30 minutes earlier than before. At the end of the day, there’s an additional 15-minute coordination for parent pickup. That’s a total of 45 minutes of my planning time lost daily. Furthermore, due to teacher quarantines, we often keep students instead of sending them to special classes like PE or Music, which has reduced our planning time by nearly a quarter. As a result, I find myself reporting to school 15 minutes before my contract time on days with meetings, which occur one to three times a week—small increments that add up quickly.

2. Presence of Mind

Navigating the uncertainties of COVID feels like living in multiple realities. I’ve developed extensive emergency sub plans for potential quarantines affecting both myself and my students. Each instance requires me to update Google Classroom and create individualized plans. This constant need for preparation means I struggle to stay present, often distracted by what-ifs about the future and the missed opportunities of the past.

3. Consistency

The lack of clear guidelines for returning to school has resulted in a gradual influx of students, with my class size swelling from 16 to 26. Each new addition disrupts the classroom community, and I must assess their academic standing. Additionally, the threat of quarantine looms over us, further undermining our routines and normalcy.

4. Work/Home Separation

The demands of managing multiple realities have forced me to bring more work home than ever before. The concept of a “sick day” has evolved; when I tested positive for COVID, my class went into quarantine, and I was expected to teach remotely the following day. Although I wasn’t severely affected, I struggled to recall what I taught. With resources stretched thin, the expectation is that if you can click a mouse, you’re fit to teach.

5. Community and Collaboration

COVID protocols have isolated us all—teachers and students. In a school that prioritizes collaboration, maintaining distance and not sharing materials has altered our teaching dynamics. Our schedule changes have left no time for inter-grade discussions or support, forcing us to handle all student behaviors within our classrooms or escalate them immediately to administration. This isolation has made it difficult to provide the best care for our students.

6. Finances

Despite working harder than ever, my paycheck has decreased by about $200 a month. Our district, already struggling financially, has seen funding plummet during the pandemic. There were no raises this year, and our professional development stipend was suspended. Additionally, health insurance premiums rose significantly, while my classroom budget was halved, leaving little for necessary supplies. I’m earning less while investing more in my classroom to ensure it’s safe.

7. Faith in Humanity

When the pandemic began in March 2020, teachers were hailed as heroes. By August, however, when we questioned the safety of crowded classrooms, we became labeled as lazy or unmotivated. Parents scrutinized our online teaching methods and shared their opinions on mask mandates. The lack of empathy and understanding has created a hostile environment for educators, leading to increased stress and burnout, ultimately affecting our students.

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