GREENSBORO, N.C. — As the new, and very different school year approaches, teachers and parents are plagued with the stress of navigating remote learning in the midst of a pandemic.
Teachers are concerned not only about how their students will get the education and care they need, but their own children as well.
"It’s emotionally draining," said Southeast Middle School teacher Adrianne Williams, "Some nights you just kind of cry because you’re still trying to figure out, 'How can I be a great mom, and I love teaching, so how can I do both?'"
Guilford County Schools teachers are being asked to come into school to do their virtual teaching and can bring their school-aged children to work with them, according to the district. The district said the children must stay in the classroom.
Williams' son is 3-years-old with asthma, so she's worried about sending him to daycare because of his respiratory condition.
Instead, she said her son will temporarily spend each week with a family member who lives in a different city.
"That’s not ideal. That’s not what I want to do, to be away from my child, but as of right now since I have to be teaching on-site on campus that’s the only way I can think of," she said.
Shannon Ashley is an art teacher at Brightwood Elementary School in Greensboro. She's also trying to figure out the difficult challenge of scheduling.
"The scheduling of time for when I have to be online the scheduling of when I have to be live versus when my kids gotta be live. When they have to be available for their teacher when she or he goes live," Ashley said.
Ashley has two children in elementary school.
"The second part that’s difficult is finding the time to help my child, both of my boys, actually helping them get through their work because there are days they can get it in a snap and then there’s days where it’s frustrating," said Ashley.
Ashley, like Williams, feels even more pressure this year to balance being a great parent and teacher all at once.
"It’s difficult with one, but if you got two, three, four of your own kids and for some people maybe five, trying to get a schedule down, the amount of devices that you have, can you afford to get another device?" said Ashley, "It’s all those things in combination with, 'let me make sure my lesson plans are up," Ashley said.
Williams said she wants parents to know that educators share the same concerns that parents do.
"Just as much as you love your little, we love our little, and for us, this is a calling. This is something we are doing because something in our spirit is telling us to do it," said Williams, "So, we are prepared and are preparing ourselves to be there for your kids during this time to try and be their rock as much as we possibly can."
"No one's situation trumps anybody else’s. We’re all in this boat together and we can do this for our children if we show some empathy and put forth the understanding that we're all learning this together," said Ashley.