Photo illustration: Mukti Mulyana
This article is part of the Teachers' Notes series on lessons learned from one year of teaching.
I thought this year would be a calm one without any big storm on the horizon. I had made plans involving many sources and considerations. As it turned out, this year was an unexpected one.
I had to change every plan I'd made following the government's appeal to work from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Projects I'd started were put on hold because teachers and students could not meet in person. The shadow of failure in teaching began to appear due to the lack of preparation.
Adjustments in Teaching
My school's foundation finally held an online meeting with its teachers. During the meeting, the foundation showed its support and allowed us some room to lower our standard in teaching.
Teachers were encouraged to exchange ideas and knowledge which would support online learning. I shared my knowledge and frustration because in our area, the teachers working group were rather less active.
The school also asked parents to sit with their children at home during online learning. Many parents complained about this online learning. However, we continued to provide moral support for them.
Learning New Things during the Pandemic
I sharpened my time management skill during this pandemic because I did not realize I spent nearly half-day working. Patchy internet connection, students failed to hand over their assignments, and many other things were the cause. I was losing sleep until I fixed my working hours.
I also learned a lot about video and picture editing. Previously, I did not like learning about editing software because I found it too complicated. However, I am now grateful I can use various editing applications, which makes it easier for me to deliver learning materials to students.
This year has changed many aspects of my life. Thinking fast, being open to technology, surviving pressures, and managing time efficiently are some skills I've picked up during this online learning period.
I believe that when the pandemic ends and the face-to-face teaching and learning activities resume, all these skills will continue to be useful.
Everything happens for a reason, right?
*This Note was written by RCA, a primary school teacher in Central Java.
**All articles published in the Teachers' Notes are the views of the authors. They have been edited for popular writing purposes and do not represent the views of RISE Programme in Indonesia or RISE's funders.
