In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world froze. Simultaneously, there has been a vast growth of online conferences and the increased need for telehealth. The entire nation has struggled with feelings of uncertainty and fear mixed with moments of positivity. At the same time, older adults and people of any age who have underlying health conditions are faced with information from local, national, and international news and health organizations that their lives were at risk. Then, new terms emerged and became part of our daily vocabulary. Stay home. Social distancing. Shelter in place. Essential items. Curbside pick-up. Pandemic. It appears that these words will become part of our everyday vocabulary, forever etched in history books, engrained in our hearts, and the mindset of generations to come.

Before handing out my midterm exam the Thursday before Spring Break, the unease in the classroom was palpable. I questioned, is it the right thing to do to give a midterm exam now? Two days prior we learned online instruction would begin the week after spring break for the week and possibly longer. This was an unprecedented scenario. I never took a seminar titled, How to Continue Teaching During a Pandemic. I resolved myself with the attitude of we’ll get through this together; let’s get it done. Before passing out exams, I informally assessed students to see how many had taken an online course before, few hands raised. I then asked how everyone was feeling in regard to our inevitable online transition. Students expressed anxiety and worry because they had never taken a class titled, How to Continue to Learn During a Pandemic. As educators as we move ahead to an uncertain culture of learning, we must strive to listen and learn, grow in our pedagogies, and balance grace and flexibility with expectation.

No abstract