How is distance learning changing the student-teacher relationship?

At the beginning of our lockdown period, when school was first run remotely, I felt very nervous about online teaching. I had concerns about the teaching; using new tools, managing to explain and demonstrate Mathematics to the students and how to offer the same level of feedback that we can in person. My main concern, however, was about “letting the students into my home”. Without a nanny or cleaner I had no doubt that my flat would become messy, dirty even at times. I had to think carefully about where I could hang my washing to dry so that it wouldn’t be in view during zooms, and ask my children to please close the door when going to the toilet, even if there wasn’t going to be anybody else in the flat. Mostly I was worried about my children’s behavior and whether or not I would actually be able to focus on teaching my lessons if they were fighting in the background. This became an even greater concern when I started having meetings with parents. The thought of parents witnessing one of my children having a complete breakdown filled me with dread and stopped me sleeping.

Despite apprehension and anxiety, online teaching has become the new norm. Furniture has been moved many times to find an optimum teaching space. Students and parents are understanding of short child-care related interruptions and bizarrely, we are all getting used to seeing into each other’s homes and into each other’s lives. We have met our students’ pets and they have met our pets, we have met their younger siblings and they have met our children. We have even met nannies, cleaners and housekeepers as they nip in and out of the rooms. We have a mental picture of where and how each student lives and they have a mental picture of where how each of their teachers live. At no point in my life up until now, either as a student or a teacher, has this been the case.

As a teacher, there is a lot to be gained through more deeply understanding our students as individuals. I believe that online learning gives us this opportunity, not only through being more connected with the lives of students but also because when we do have the time for one to one conversations with students, these are proving more valuable than ever. Students are more open and honest because there are no other students around and we know we are not about to be interrupted by students or teachers wanting to discuss other issues. (It seems that “I’m hungry” or “I’m bored, when are going to finish?” is considerably less distracting than “can you explain this to me?” of “I need to talk to you about an academic honesty issue”). I have had a similar experience when talking to parents. It is wonderful to find a space in which they are really comfortable talking openly. Maybe students and parents also feel more confident that we will not be judgmental in these circumstances.

It is not realistic for us all to have such rich conversations with all of our students and this is both a risk and a challenge. The quality of interactions may be improving but the quantity is diminishing. What we don’t have are the hundreds of quick exchanges as we pass students entering and leaving the classroom or around campus. If a model were to be developed for longer term distance learning, a key consideration would be allowing the opportunities for such interactions and ensuring all students are receiving this opportunity. We also need to remember that those who most need the interactions will be those who are least likely to seek them. When we return, we may feel closely connected to a few students but there will be many that we barely recognise.

Interestingly, we are on a level playing field with our students in a way that we never have been before. Our issues are their issues as their issues are ours; poor internet, not enough work space, inadequate equipment, noise and disturbances all around us, the blurring of home and school life, the blurring of working and relaxing, too much screen time, too little exercise, headaches, drowsiness and anxiety. I notice that the older students, when we have these one to one conversations, are asking me how I am doing. I also feel I can be quite open and honest about my daily trials and tribulations. Some of the parents I meet have asked me the same kind questions. They sympathise with my family being on a different continent and the challenges of working from home with my children at my feet. It feels as though this is a moment when there is greater empathy and understanding of teachers as human beings, with challenges of our own and a genuine gratitude for all we are offering.

This paints a positive picture, but I am still worried, I maintain my concerns. There is no doubt that we as teachers are putting ourselves in a vulnerable position. Whenever we have a one to one zoom with a student, we put ourselves at risk. We can protect ourselves by recording these, but are the students also at risk? Are they being sufficiently protected? Are we being sufficiently advised and protected? What about those insights that students and parents have had into our home lives? Will they ever come back to haunt us? If a student fails a course, will that be the moment it does? I will never forget a parent meeting I had when about 8 months pregnant in which the parents wanted to persuade us that their daughter should not be failing the subject and the mother said “why can you not admit that this year you have not been at your best?” I hope that this is not around the corner for any of us but I also think that we should be discussing it, and ensuring that we are looking after ourselves and taking the best possible precautions.

I hope that when we return to school, we will be able to maintain the empathy and sympathy for those on the other side of the educational fence. I hope we can maintain the feeling that we are all in this together, striving to come through each week, month, year as best we can. I wonder what the longer term impact of this shared lock-down experience will be on our relationships with students and whether this will only affect our relationships with the students with whom we have shared the experience this year? Has the student-teacher relationship permanently changed? Should the student-teacher relationship permanently change? Are there at least some positive lessons we learn and keep with us? It would be a great shame not to.