We've Been Speaking to Educators

Friday 11th February 2022

At Gedit, there is nothing more important to us than the thoughts, opinions, and voices of educators. In order to understand the classroom experience better, we’ve been speaking with teachers across the country about how they approach their practice and mould the learning experiences of their students. Currently, teachers are under great pressure to maintain high quality teaching and ensure their students are adequately supported in an unstable social climate that has impacted adults and children alike.

Below, we’ve shared a couple of the challenges high school educators have been facing in recent months.

Maintaining relationships

While teachers can reach out to students and reassure them of their support, without consistency it is often hard to maintain an open and trusting relationship. An 8th Grade teacher recently told us of the challenges that came with inconsistent class attendance due to sickness of both educators and students. The reality of on/off presence in the classroom has greatly disrupted the flow of teaching which often relies on consistent participation and clear communication. Despite two years having passed since the pandemic begun, educators still face many challenges in rebuilding relationships with students who, for an extensive time now, have lacked consistency in their education.

Finding the balance

Another 8th Grade teacher shared the difficulties in finding the right balance when teaching through both physical and digital mediums. He told us that ‘students need multiple ways to express understanding’ which can often be hard to gauge when the format of teaching changes so much. Participation is key to a stimulating classroom experience but there must be variety as well as structure. Teachers are already stretched for time, and resources can be scarce, especially in schools with inadequate funding. Despite these realities, the challenge remains for teachers to support learning and growth in ways that are effective and sustainable.

There is no doubt that many educators are struggling to maintain momentum as the school year progresses. Whether speaking to them directly or scrolling through Twitter, it’s not hard to see how hard educators are trying to cater to their students whilst also taking care of themselves. Now, more than ever, educators are in need of support and the right resources to aid them in cultivating a healthy classroom experience all around.

For us, it has been a pleasure to speak with educators and learn more about how they are feeling. At Gedit, our goal is to help address some of these concerns and strengthen student-teacher relationships without any added pressures. Our plan is to keep on speaking to educators and continue learning about their classroom experience so we can better support it.