English was one of my minors in my undergrad, and I have since had the opportunity to Student Teach an English Language Arts class on practicum. Today we know the value in reading, and our provincial reading comprehension scores add a daunting pressure to improve. The Globe and Mail commented on the reading crisis in Canada and theorized that pandemic will make it worse, if it hasn't already. It's no surprise, honestly. These days I myself find it difficult to focus long enough to make it through even an entire chapter of a book I picked, yet I can work on a puzzles and watch Netflix for hours on end. I started having rewards to keep myself motivated like if I finished a chapter I could have ice cream or play Nintendo Switch. The ice cream and Nintendo Switch are thriving while 'Great Expectations' gathers dust. I am attempting the same extrinsic motivation strategies to my university assignments to no avail. While I was notorious for procrastinating before, at least then it was because I was living in the moment and was more focused on making memories. Now I literally have no excuse except for an utterly pathetic cloud in my head that won't leave and demands mindless, passive indulgences that require little to no concentration. It's no surprise to me that book sales are up, but I wonder if I'm not alone in the sudden inability to focus like I used to. I really like reading. And I especially love learning. In fact when I was young I was nearly struck by cars because my head was always in a book on my walks home. Captain Underpants was the culprit. Last year I was devouring Young Adult Literature in anticipation for teaching ELA. I think every single book made me cry and I loved it! I want that enthusiasm back! More importantly I want to help instil that enthusiasm for my students because I know it's important in the long run. So what can I do?
*Photo from Cal State University Times
This week my class had the privilege of hearing from an English language Arts Teacher in my School Division, who was inspiring to say the least. Candidly, this teacher expressed their concerns for the current emotional well-being and overall achievement of students right now. It is with this knowledge that I believe teachers can approach the art of teaching during a pandemic with grace. This teacher was responsive to the concerns of their students, and since half of the classes were technically over Microsoft Teams from their homes, assignments were practical and engaging. I think part of the reason we as students are struggling is because we have lost our sense of community and the uncertainty of the future can be dangerous as far as motivation goes. To counteract this the modern ELA teacher must produce that sense of community online, and this teacher did so through forums and group chats on Microsoft Teams where students could voice opinions, and share resources etc. In addition to this sense of community, it is important that even though life feels like it's on hold, the lesson must be grounded in relevancy. Some examples shared with our class were focused on Social Justice Campaigns, where students would be introduced to (or could research) a current issue within their community or country or the world that they feel motivated to do something about. The projects can include podcasts, publicly displayed posters, twitter posts, and even letters to government officials or businesses. It is important that educators utilize technology that is relevant to the student's lives, and that students are exposed to a multitude of mediums and choose which works best for them. In preparation for this, teachers should broaden their own horizons and I am actively trying to do that right now. I mean, look! I even have a blog! Luckily there is so much inspiration and positivity to be found to cast a shadow on doubt. Perhaps Dickens can wait.
