Teaching During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Lived Experience of Saskatchewan.

Researchers: Dr. Madeline Press, Dr. Suzanne Zwarych, TJ Zwarych, Alex Owilli and Josee Bumphrey.
June 2021

COVID-19 is having a huge impact on our lives. Many people fear for themselves as well as for family members who may be vulnerable to the virus. Teachers and parents also fear for the students they work with – a fear for them attending school, but also a fear if they do not attend school. In addition to the feelings of isolation and a lack of control over our own lives, teachers are having to adjust to working remotely with their own children at home. There is increased isolation resulting from the cancellations of graduations, weddings, birthdays, and funerals. Fewer opportunities to celebrate and interact with friends and families has reduced the interaction during the summer holidays and now teachers are being asked to return to school during a pandemic.

The purpose of this study is to garner information from teachers returning to school and use that information to create a valid questionnaire to determine whether practices and interventions put in place by school divisions and government can reduce the anxiety and stress of teachers upon their return to school during a pandemic. The main objective is first to identify processes and policies that helped teachers to overcome the physical, emotional and psychological effects of returning to school during the COVID-19 pandemic. The secondary purpose of this study is to attempt to understand the experiences of teachers throughout Saskatchewan, and through that understanding, create a valid survey to document which processes and policies reduced anxiety toward returning to school during a pandemic.