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Data Analysis
The recorded interview videos were transcribed first by a computer, then checked
and edited by the researcher to verify the accuracy of the transcript. After ensuring
the data were correct and complete, the researcher began the analysis process of
restorying. In restorying, the researcher creates a framework by “gathering stories,
analyzing them for key elements of the story (e.g., time, place, plot, and scene),
and then rewriting the stories to place them within a chronological sequence”
(Ollerenshaw & Creswell, 2002, as cited by Creswell & Poth, 2018, p. 72).

Results
The pandemic changed how Jennifer and Stephen approached teaching. As the
participants navigated through the first 2 years of the pandemic, they experienced a
wide range of emotions—from being overwhelmed, to being burned out, to being
adaptable. Three major themes emerged from the interviews: human connection,
technology, and stakeholder support. Citations relative to participant voices
throughout the discussion are presented using the format “(Pseudonym, Year, #)”,
where the last digit reflects which transcript of the four interview sessions provided
the information.

Human Connection
Both participants shared the importance of human connection, not only for
teaching but for life. Jennifer shared that the lockdown and social distancing caused
her to miss seeing people’s faces and eating together. She commented that she
felt closer to her grade-level when colleagues could all eat together; she felt she
could collaborate informally in the lunchroom. These lunchtime meetings became
a support system that was sorely missed during the school closure. Part of this
connection resulted from everyone being able to
see someone’s entire face. Stephen commented
Both participants shared that building relationships is difficult when you

the importance of human cannot see the other person’s entire face.
Jennifer and Stephen also shared that face-
connection, not only for teaching to-face instruction can build human connections.
Both participants attempted to build relationships
but for life. with students irrespective of the in-person,

distance, or blended modality but found it was
easier to do so when they were in the same room.
While teaching in the distance modality, Jennifer
shared that it was difficult “to build the relationship with something you can’t even
see” (Jennifer, 2021, 2) as many students had their cameras turned off, pointing
at the ceiling, or operating in poor lighting. Like Jennifer, Stephen also found it
challenging to build relationships with students, despite his best efforts, because the
students’ cameras were turned off during instruction.
After struggling to build relationships remotely, Jennifer and Stephen were
thankful to teach in a blended learning modality from March 2021 through May
2021. Jennifer believed her personality came out when the class was together, making
class more fun. Stephen felt he could control behaviors better inside the classroom,
which helped keep the room cheerful and the students engaged. Furthermore, both
participants shared that human connection was easier to build with the smaller class
sizes when students were learning from a blended model. The fewer students in the

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