Each year we face several challenges and hardships; we have also worked beforehand to get the paperwork done in due time and welcome our students. However, this year is different: most students have had little to no contact with their classmates for a long time; they have changed not only physically but also emotionally. They are used to being in front of a screen, with their camera off, sometimes with the microphone also off, communicating just using the chat. Coming back to the pre-pandemic years’ ways may take some time.
Both our and their social skills must be a bit rusty; for some the transition might be smooth; for others, not so much. In any case, we must be there for them. Psychological and emotional support will make the difference. On the other hand, that adds some extra strain to our (already) overwhelmed lives. To begin with, it is important to prioritize our mental health, so we can be the very best version of ourselves. I do invite you to do the following quiz to determine if we are about to exceed our limits https://au.reachout.com/articles/quiz-are-you-burning-out. After answering seven questions, we will know if we need to do some adjustments in order to perform successfully.
Another constraint is that probably there is little money left for training. As teachers, we know that our career demands lifelong learning skills and updating is a must. Getting a new certification is ideal but sometimes we must postpone it due to financial constraints. However, not everything is lost: in some academic platforms, there is access to different courses for limited but enough time to grasp the core contents of the topics that interest us. Have you tried Coursera and/or FutureLearn? Another option you may not have considered is Campus Romero. For a yearly fee, you can also have access to its platform and find courses that will help you with your communication skills and even develop new ways to understand social media. You can even learn about Word and Power Point. There is always a new angle to try out and apply in our field.
Ready to start? Certainly yes! With a renewed version of ourselves and with a different perspective of our role and of our profession. Let’s start with the right foot!
How do you usually get ready to start the academic year?
Share your own insights!
