Previous studies suggest virtual education during the pandemic had a lasting impact on students, but new research has revealed that online learning may have affected more than just those being taught — it also reportedly took a toll on those doing the teaching.
A CNBC survey found that a staggering 97% of educators reported that their students were missing out and suffering from learning loss, and around 50% said their K-12 students were a whole 3-12 months behind on the coursework.
However, while some assumed that the online-learning era was a breeze for teachers, as many could essentially teach in pajamas at home, it may have been just the opposite.
It seems teachers struggled alongside their students as education was reshaped.
An article published in Facets Journal, outlining some of the negative effects of the pandemic education model on teachers, suggests remote learning affected educators on an emotional level. Teachers often thrive off the energy of a physical classroom, the journal stated, which can be hard to replicate in an online setting.
The article positioned “the nature of teaching as an ’emotional practice’ in which the well-being of students and teachers is reciprocally interrelated.”
The publication suggests that the connection between students and teachers may have been less intimate during online schooling, leading to a disconnect between educators and the students they were tasked with educating.
Teachers reportedly also felt a lack of support due to an inability to interact with fellow colleagues in teachers’ lounges and meetings.
The National Council of Education Statistics’ latest report states 44% of U.S. schools surveyed had teacher vacancies. Of those vacancies, 51% were due to resignations, and 61% of all resignations were due to COVID-19. The data was collected between January 11 and January 24, when schools were increasingly challenged by the surge in cases of the omicron variant of COVID-19.