Learning requires focus, and focus requires attention to what is studied, thought, formulated, and written. It is a process that occurs with intention and conscious participation, and cannot be rushed, no matter how much a student would like it to be. However, as any instructor knows, being enrolled in a class, especially an online class, is rarely the only responsibility a student has in any given week. For many students, class work is often viewed from the perspective of what can be accomplished in the least amount of time, with the least amount of effort, and with the least disruption of all other required responsibilities. In other words, class work is not always a top priority.
During the pre-pandemic times, many students were able to balance their lives, careers, family, other responsibilities, and class work in a fairly productive way. While there were always exceptions to the rule, I knew that I could count on my students to submit their work in a timely manner and receive fairly important discussion posts and written assignments. There were students who occasionally had work or life problems, along with time management challenges, and those who seemed to experience a sense of stress. However, that was often the exception rather than the rule, and was usually felt on schedule.
Now that the pandemic has started and taken hold, there is a general malaise that seems to have settled. Now, the ability to cope with even the most basic tasks has become a challenge for many students, and class work seems to compound the intensity of the emotional reactions experienced. Even with the best intention of having a future goal, it is not always enough to stay motivated and calm when challenges arise. So if something happens over the course of a period, like receiving a lower-than-expected rating, it could be the proverbial last straw that completely bothers them. That is why instructors, more than ever, must be prepared to interact with students in a calm and relaxing way.
Instructor stress – can’t be ignored
The feeling of unease that I have talked about for students applies not only to students, but also to instructors. It seems that a few have been affected by the long-term effects of the pandemic, although over time some of us have acquired better coping skills than others. I know it took me time and effort to get to a point where I felt a sense of calm, and this had to do with the uncertainty about my health and work, the health of my family, and the loss of a family member from Covid . This has only made me feel even more empathetic with my students, because I know what they are going through, I have experienced something like that. In other words, instructor stress is real and should not be ignored.
The challenging part of experiencing stress as an instructor is not showing it to your students. Now I am not talking about sharing your experiences with students, as that is something different. I let my students know what happened when I lost a family member, so that they would be aware of the fact that I am also a human being and can relate to them. But what I don’t want them to see is someone who is stressed, if I ever feel that way. What this means is that being calm is a matter of feeling the confusion on the inside but showing a sense of calm on the outside. It’s a balancing act that takes time and practice. This is also very similar to emotional intelligence, being able to control your emotional reactions effectively.
Student stress: please understand
Before the pandemic, when a student texted me and seemed stressed, I would recommend time management strategies or whatever was appropriate to help them. Usually there was one of the few reasons for her stress and the solution was not overly intensive. Since the pandemic, I can only wish stress was a matter of an easy time management solution. Now it seems like a vast majority of my online students are feeling the pressure of their careers, kids at home and / or back in the classroom, the list goes on. For many, their inattention has increased, along with the inability to write with complete and coherent thoughts.
I am observing that many make less effort and yet the expectation of what the result should be for a rating remains the same as if they were working at their best level of performance. So one incident in the classroom, be it a low score, an incident of plagiarism, or a missed deadline, may be all it takes to create a sense of major crisis. There is no doubt that students are now feeling an unprecedented level of stress, anxiety and uncertainty. I know those who are signed up are trying to persist and continue to either fulfill their goals and dreams despite the conditions, but their fight is real. As an instructor, I have to be aware of this and be willing to understand their perspective. If I am not willing to help, they will fail.
Four strategies to calm down
The strategies I have developed to create a calming presence have come with time, practice, and personal experience of feeling anxious during this stressful time. I don’t claim to be perfect, but I think I’m now in a place where I can work with some of the most frustrated students and help ease their sense of stress, at least to some degree. Perhaps my approach to staying calm can help you too.
VSollected:
As an educator, you are the only one your students turn to for guidance and a sense of purpose as they try to participate in the course. What this means to you is an unwritten expectation of being prepared, and that means knowing the class materials, having relevant knowledge of the course topics, and most important of all, having a calm enough temperament to address students when they are happy or frustrated.
For you, setting the right temperament requires knowing your mental benchmark and being available only when you know you can achieve this state of mind. If office hours are approaching, then you should give yourself a break before those hours, to mentally prepare yourself to interact with students. What you need to do is collect your emotional state of mind so that you can focus on the needs of your students, rather than feeling scattered.
TOlert:
Once you have developed the feeling of being emotionally collected, or having the feeling of focusing on requests made by your students when necessary, you can now be more alert to classroom conditions. When you feel like you’re focused, managing your online class won’t feel like a chore or cause apprehension and anxiety. He is attentive and alert to even the most subtle changes in student behavior. You will also be ready to help those students who are not doing well, especially those who are not calling for help.
THEevel-Headed
This is one of the most important aspects of establishing a calm disposition, being able to maintain a sense of emotional stability. Where you will find this invaluable is when a student sends an email, or contacts you directly, and appears to be feeling confused, insecure, frustrated, or any other form of emotional reaction that may trigger a naturally negative response from within. your.
What you want to be able to do is absorb what they are telling you and then help them reestablish their frame of reference. You can achieve this goal by listening to them first, more than you talk. You take in what they are saying, without returning the exact emotional response to them. This doesn’t mean you have to accept inappropriate behavior, it just doesn’t mean it back in the same way. Approach them in a sensible way and then help them by answering their questions, concerns, or requests.
METERindful:
The final strategy is to maintain a sense of internal balance to be aware of the students. When I refer to mindfulness in this context, I suggest that you first consider your perspective and what you might be experiencing. Even if a student is in the middle of a plagiarism incident, I still want to talk to him. There may be something you can teach them, along with something you can learn about them. Perhaps they had more stress than usual that week and in the middle of it they did not remember to follow all the required steps. No matter what the case is, try to understand them.
The second aspect of mindfulness is being aware of how it can be perceived, primarily through your tone with an online class. This is directly related to being aware of the student’s perspective. If you are not sure how a message or post can be perceived, try reading it out loud. There are many other ways that mindfulness can be extended to your students and it can occur when you have the opportunity to speak with them. I know that it is less and less important for online students to have real verbal contact with their instructors, and yet when I get a call from a student, I take the time to listen, engage, help, and teach. There is a lot you can learn about your students during a call, and when you do, you can make meaningful connections with them.
When your students feel better, you feel better
It doesn’t matter how your students contact you or what state of mind they are in when they do, except if they are acting inappropriately or overly aggressive. When your students seek help or have a question, they expect you to be available to help them in a calm and rational way. It’s understandable that you experience the same kind of stress they do, especially given the circumstances that work and life have presented since 2020 ushered in a new era. However, you must be someone who rises above it all and have a consistent focus on maintaining the classroom and your relationships with the students. If you don’t, it won’t be long until many students become unable to handle stress.
While it may be difficult for you to stay emotionally balanced for your students, consider the effect it can have overall. Instead of thinking of yourself first, start with your students. When they discover that you are calm and easily accessible, they will have a positive experience, which in turn will allow you to feel at ease. I notice this now with my students. If a student calls me and I can feel they are experiencing stress, I will try to spread the word by creating a report and connecting with them. Then I can address the issue they have called about in a calm way, which helps them understand that I am trying to help and support them.
You will find that the more a student feels the supportive presence of an instructor, the more they will stay focused and engaged in class, which is absolutely critical for distance learning. It is not about ignoring the stress you or the students are experiencing, it is about creating a caring and humanistic approach to teaching that helps you and them thrive. There is no certainty when the pandemic will end or when life will stabilize. But what students need to know now is that one person, their instructor, can stay calm amid the storm that can be their life at times.
