MTA members have been sharing their stories about working during the COVID-19 pandemic. Swan Gates is an adjunct professor at Cape Cod Community College who happened to be taking a course on how to teach online when her school closed the campus in March and moved all of the courses online. She provided the following account to MTA Today:
"On March 12 the college told us we’d be moving to an online/remote learning format. During spring break, I put everything the students would need online. I have 30 students in my Introduction to Philosophy class, 28 in my logic class and 13 in my existentialism course. Unfortunately, I never heard from three students after break. I’ve been using Zoom as a way to continue our schedule, as we would if face to face, to keep students engaged. Using Zoom’s free account means you have a time limit, so having to end and begin again is a distraction.
"The only class I’ve had a problem with online is logic, specifically proposition logic. It’s like a math class, and I’m a chalkboard person. The white-screen option on Zoom is horrible. It’s difficult for students to see the equations and illustrations I use to show them what is being covered in the text. I’ve been offering one-on-one office hours outside of the lectures. The MOST challenging aspect of working remotely is having a 3-year-old in a small home with no office or privacy, and very little time for class preparation or grading (which can only get done after bedtime)!"
The MTA wants to hear stories of how members are coping during the coronavirus crisis and making a difference in the lives of students, fellow educators and their communities. To share your experiences, visit massteacher.org/coronastories.
