Jodie Babki is a teacher at G.S. Lakie Middle School in Lethbridge, Canada. Since the pandemic hit, she has been teaching students in grade 8, both online and in school. Her response to the Palette Magz’ Learning and Teaching during COVID survey illustrates how school life has evolved during this period.
Here are the various obstacles Jodie faced during COVID:
“The biggest learning curve was with technology. Early on, one of the biggest difficulties was making sure all students could access learning resources and support. This took months and even in this last online learning stretch, there continued to be interruptions in learning for a number of students in each class. It was hard to problem solve their at home tech issues. Students also became frustrated with the inconsistency between teachers and it was difficult to roll out a united, similar approach to accessing materials. We tried and continued to make adjustments and were making progress. With online learning, it was hard to gauge student understanding of material and the authenticity of testing scores. Assignment submission was also low at the end of the last year, but improved greatly for this year.”
There were also some positives during this time:
“One positive was how everyone pulled together and made adjustments and I loved watching how creative teachers were in finding ways to connect to their students. I also think the forced lockdown pushed everyone, staff and students, to learn technology in new and purposeful ways that will benefit us all in the long run.”
Technology Jodie used during the online experience:
“Laptop, Desktop Computer, Microsoft Teams, Document Camera, Office 365”
There was a great effect on her life outside of school:
“I have watched covid impact my own children and their learning. It is hard to watch them miss out on sports and activities and social time with friends – not just over phones, iPads and gaming systems. I worry what the long-term consequences of all of this might be.”
