New Teachers
New Teachers
Embedded Files
New teachers share the challenges of changing schools in the midst of COVID-19.
Imagine being a teacher just about to start a job at a brand-new school. You've never even stepped foot into the building. What will the kids be like? Will the other teachers be friendly? Will the kids like you? Now imagine that you're a teacher experiencing all of the anxieties that accompany a new school- during a global pandemic.
“No doubt, it complicated it somewhat. It’s always a challenge starting at a new school, moving in, setting up a new classroom, getting to know new people, procedures, expectations, and idiosyncrasies therein. Add the ‘new way of doing school with Covid’ to the mix, and my plate was very full -- but I survived!” said Ms. Susan Teplica, a new English teacher here at Edgewood.
Teplica previously taught at West Shore and is currently getting her bearings with teaching at a new school, as well as adjusting to teaching in-person and e-learning students at the same time.
“The hardest part for me is convincing my mind that although half of my students are ‘invisible’ they are still in the classroom taking part,” Teplica said. “It’s a weird shift in thinking and teaching.”
As difficult as teaching at a new school already is, Ms. Teplica has been experiencing some extra difficulties introduced by COVID.
“Under normal circumstances, it would be lots of fun to meet and get to know all of my new colleagues and staff, however, with social distancing and masks, there’s been very little of that…. Anytime you’re ‘new’ somewhere it takes a while to feel like you belong. The pandemic is prolonging the process,” she said.
Another new teacher, Mr. David Ivey, who teaches physics and recently transferred from Eau Gallie high school, explains the challenge of the sudden change to online learning at the end of the last school year.
Ivey gives instructions to his Physics students
“Well, when we transitioned back in March at Eau Gallie, I think every teacher in the county was forced to try to figure out how to do e-learning,” said Ivey. “It really didn't matter what school… teachers at each individual school were helping each other, [and here] it's the same type of thing.”
Ivey also expresses the increased workload of teaching two types of kids, another difficulty COVID-19 introduced to teaching.
“[S]ay we're doing a worksheet today. Okay, normally I have to make copies of the worksheet and go over it in class, now I got to scan the worksheet, take the file, upload it to Google Classroom, the kids do it, they upload their work, I have to go grade their work online [and] transfer their grade from online onto Focus,” Ivey said.
Edgewood’s new testing coordinator, Ms. Danielle Poley, who comes to us from an elementary school, agreed.
“As a testing coordinator I have had to schedule many extra assessments that wouldn’t normally be scheduled this early in the year due to the pandemic," said Poley. "Having to schedule E-Learners and on-campus learners who aren’t even enrolled in math or language arts classes this semester [has] also been a challenge.”
Teplica instructs students over Zoom
Teplica also seemed to share this sentiment.
“[Teaching two types of kids is] very difficult, but it’s getting a little better as we all figure this thing out,” Teplica said. “It’s never been done, so there’s no model to follow.”
Despite the pandemic and the challenge of e-learning, both teachers are optimistic about Edgewood.
“I expected the kids to be better quality of kids, which they are. I expected high caliber learning, which we have,” said Ivey.
Edgewood’s new health technician, Ms. Joy Stark, who also comes to us from an elementary school, expresses a similar opinion.
“I like that [Edgewood] is a school of excellence. The students here are serious; they know they have a better chance of going to college,” Stark said. “Edgewood has met all my expectations. It’s a really great school.”
While Teplica acknowledges that this school year has been tough, she also believes that it will strengthen both teachers and students over time.
“[Teaching] had to change in many ways. However, I’ve found that the adaptations have led to new ways of teaching,” said Teplica. ”Though incredibly challenging and often even uncomfortable, I believe that change is good… it stretches our capabilities and resilience.”
It’s Conrad’s second year on the Edge staff and senior year at Edgewood. He loves to collect and play retro video games. When it comes to magazine he finds small design errors and has a fascination with EM dashes.
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