A Slight Change in Scenery

A Slight Change in Scenery

Brianna Quade

March 10 I was sitting in my campus office creating my lesson plan for after Spring Break and doing some reading while waiting for students to come in if they had any questions about their exam the following day. Two students actually came and one of them asked me if the school was going to close. I had no idea if they would, all the long hoping that it wouldn't. With hearing about other campuses closing and the pending coronavirus test at UWM, we were nearly certain we were next. Unbeknownst to me, it was true. That night I got an email from the Provost that Spring Break would be extended for an additional week. I went to my students exam the next day with an eery feeling, and I think they felt it too. One student came up to turn in their exam and thanked me for the semester and being supportive. Nearly broke my heart. Because also little did I know, that was the last time I would see my students. March 18 it was announced that classes would remain online for the rest of the semester. I left campus after my students exam with 100 papers and 100 exams to grade thinking they would get them back and now they are just collecting dust. I've transformed by dining table that wasn't really used for much before to my new desk. This transition has been interesting, and rough. Going from seeing students 3 days a week to moving from couch, to chair, to bed and repeat has been boring to say the least. When I started at UWM I was beyond excited to finally be a TA and get to teach in a classroom. My first year as a TA has been a complete roller coaster. I was so used to being in my classroom with my students seeing them grow. I still see them grow but having little to no interaction with my students makes me feel slightly useless. I loved being able to challenge them and see their reaction. And now it's checking their writing. I'm very happy with how the university has transitioned to online teaching and learning. For me, it has been easy. For some of my students? Not so much. The one thing that I hate the most, is that I can't check on my students as much as I could in person. So now I sit in my new workspace doing everything I can to encourage my students to keep up their work despite the odds. I will say my cat, Nova, is loving the extra attention and often steals my seat to make sure I can't do my work. I absolutely love the extra time with him, but this whole new normal thing is tired. The quarantine has given me the time to rethink how I teach, what I teach, and what to change for future semesters. Or in the case that we're online in the fall (hopefully not!) what to do to help my students best engage with the material.