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could not meet the demands about caring for their own children’s education while
also teaching others.” Such personalized comments seemed to give heavy weight to
the survey comments when fatigue was mentioned. It was not just the participants
who saw suffering but all those near them in their own and others’ families. However,
participants also expressed togetherness, noting “the amount of grace received from
colleagues and parents around the collective trauma we are experiencing and the
impact all of our feelings have on students.”
Recognizing another complication to instruction delivery, participants expressed
their exhaustion and empathy for the difficulties faced by the families with whom they
worked. One participant wrote, “Trying to provide remote services while parenting
and shepherding my own three children who were home doing their remote learning
was very stressful.” In addition, both administrators and teachers expressed their
concerns about burn-out. Teachers were afraid the paraeducators upon whom they
had become dependent were tired. “I worried that my paraeducators would quit,
and I realized how much I depended on them to deliver quality instruction.” The
administrators were concerned that teachers were sick with COVID-19 but were still
trying to teach remotely and deal with the knowledge of students’ exposure to the
virus. One participant commented on this fear:
Teachers know the shortage and inability to find subs to pick up where they
left off, so they are teaching with positive results for themselves and family
members. On the other hand, they have students who are worried about their
elderly grandparents and worried that they would infect them. They say they
feel like they look like the walking dead some days.

Student Absenteeism
Study participants found it very difficult to deal with students who did not attend
their remote-learning courses. These participants were aware that many of the
students they served were from low-income homes and that the breakfast and lunch
served in schools were often the most substantial meal they had each day. Because
the schools were closed, they wondered if their students were getting meals and
doing well physically and mentally.
Not being able to contact students by digital platforms or phone created a good
deal of expressed stress, as related by one teacher: “I am unsure if the family is okay
and do not know if I should try to go by and see. I hope the students are getting fed
and are not left alone too much because I know the family members have to go to
work.” However, educators saw each other going the extra mile and told the story:
They tried to stay connected to the families and the students most in need
through all the means available. One art teacher dropped supplies off on
doorsteps for the students with special needs, hoping to encourage them
back. They want them back in school any way they can get them.
Many respondents reported that “engagement has waned as time has gone on.
Even students who first attended with enthusiasm have not shown consistency.” This
lack of attendance was a concern for participants as the remote learning continued
beyond what was first anticipated. As one said, “What was going to be 2 weeks has
gone far beyond what any of us expected.” Some participants recognized that the
absences impacted more than lessons for the students or the teaching of lessons. It was
the connections that they missed. One teacher participant summed it up well: “It’s been
challenging to balance the social, emotional piece with the academic piece. Students
often report missing their friends. I miss my students and colleagues as well.”

44 The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin: International Journal for Professional Educators