
We have heard many times over the past two years: these are unprecedented times and a pandemic puts things into perspective, but what has been even more surprising is how fast we seem to forget the toll or the true weight of what has really been happening.
Over the past two school years, we have been asked to pivot, to show compassion, to adapt, and to change. People trumpeted learning loss, mental health, accessibility, and learning transformation. But as this school year rolls forward, one thing is clear; we are trying to forget the pandemic ever happened.
Schools are rushing to “go back to normal”: to bring back extracurricular activities, traditional schedules, exams, and regular classes. Learning rhythms have increased, expectations have risen, and past teaching practices are being restored.
As much as we became concerned about mental health, balance, and well-being; our concerns quickly went out the window the closer we got to the ability of adopting a pre-pandemic organization. Some schools still offer hybrid models, some quadmesters, some alternating weeks or days between schedules; there is no standard to a school schedule. Yet another standard has taken hold: bring back what we were used to. It didn’t matter if equity, accessibility, and diversity were concerns raised in the spring of 2020. Guess what? They are magically no longer an issue.
In education, we had a golden opportunity to fully address and learn from the areas our system was not efficient, and yet, we revert as quickly as possible to the “old ways” because it is easier.
Who is caught in the crossfire?
Students. Students who have so much added pressure to perform and learn under conditions that are so unfavourable to success. Students who have to fend for themselves as they are constantly told they are not resilient enough and that they do not meet expectations. Students who have to navigate a system and a world still representative of realities belonging to an era of pre-technology.
Who else?
Educators. Educators who have incredible amounts of pressure put on them to adapt to various changing systems in short amounts of time. Educators who are told they should be doing extracurriculars because students need them and the stability of their jobs depended on it. Educators who cannot talk about mental health because they will be treated as weak or broken.
As a society, we value and celebrate those who work themselves to unimaginable lengths. We expect hours of extra work, constant positivity, constant transformation, constant feedback, more paperwork, and then chastise those who find it hard to leave their work at work. In television and in reality, we propagate the need for doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, and so many more to work 60-80 hour weeks because that is the only way to be efficient and show dedication. We push and push until limits break, and then we wonder why mental health has been a growing concern in the past decade.
So as we continue to be weighed down, as educators and workers; as we keep asking for more, I can assure you that I have no idea how I can give more. I have given up on so many hours of rest and relaxation, I have sacrificed so many hours of family time, I have stopped socializing with friends because time needs to be spent on grading and planning, I have abandoned the pursuit of passion projects because I am constantly told: put students first, make things work.
I am tired of educators being told they are not enough because they can’t keep a system that refuses to change afloat. I am tired of being told that we are not enough because we voice our opinions or opposing viewpoints on poor decisions. I am tired of being told that we are not enough because we don’t fit in the box that people so desperately hold on to. I am tired of being told that well-being is key when it is clearly not.
One thing is sure: the weight and the pressure will remain as long as people stay quiet and complacent. We will remain feeling weighed down.
The question then needs to be asked: how many amazing people are we willing to sacrifice because keeping a system as it is, is easier and more important than trying to put humanity and dignity first?