Pandemic Lessons: Problem Solving

Hard times are teachers. There are lots of lessons to cull from these pandemic days. One of the lessons is how to solve problems.

Life's terrain is filled with problems/challenges, typical days, high points, and low points. We traverse this terrain with our best knowledge, skill, and intent. Challenging times like this pandemic highlight aspects of life's terrain that always occur, but are more prominent now. One of those lifeforms is problems--the pandemic has created more problems to solve, it's not life as we know it.

We can learn about problem solving at this time, and use what we learn in the days ahead. How do we face problems? How do we solve those problems?

With the knowledge that during life's journey, problems will be a mainstay, we can develop problem solving strategies that will help us in times of trial repeatedly.

Identify the problem
What is the problem you are trying to solve. Too often, we don't take the time to identify the problem, and when that happens, our solutions are not nearly as good. One common pandemic problem is how to get together safely with loved ones. When we identify the problem, we notice that we love and care for our family members, and there is great joy and also support when we get to see each other face-to-face.

Define the worst case scenario
It is important to understand what the worst outcome might be. For example, the worst case scenario of not seeing my loved ones is that I'll never see them again. Though grim, the truth is that this pandemic can take the lives of our loved ones, particularly if they are in a high risk category.

Imagine the best case scenario
The best case scenario is seeing our loved ones as we always have, but with pandemic limitations, the best case scenario might be a regular, safe pattern of seeing our loved ones. A pattern that includes good hygiene, social distancing, and masks.

Plot the solution
Using a programming path, you can create if-than-or-else routes to solving your problem. For example, to solve the problem of seeing your relatives, the route might look like this:

• Research safe get-together measures--what do you need to do to safely visit loved ones?
• Discuss the safety measures with your loved ones.
• Craft a plan for the get together
• Try it out
• Reflect, revise
• Do it again

As I think about problems much greater and more complicated than the example I use, I think it's important to face the pandemic with a good problem solving mindset. This mindset is one that can be shared with children as well--it's a good lesson that will help them with problems they face during the pandemic and afterwards. 

Pandemic Response: Take the long view

Some are panicking as they think about the fall with regards to school. They are panicking because they don't want to get ill, or worse, die. They are panicking because they want their children to attend school as they normally would. They are panicking because they are unsure about their own jobs, income, and health.

Others are seeing this panic as an opportunity. An opportunity to sign people up for newly created or existing online schools. An opportunity to work as an educational consultant by teaching one or two families of children. An opportunity to change jobs. An opportunity to take children out of school and travel.

As I think of the myriad of responses, I am reminded that it is best to take the long view.

There is so much that is right about public education--the opportunities to educate all of our citizens in high quality schools where children learn with and from one another and skilled educators is awesome. Do schools always live up to that opportunity? Of course not. Due to multiple factors mostly related to fair wages, safe communities, adequate health care, and equitable laws and supports, public education quality across the country differs. Yet, what we do have is quite good, and what we can have based on the idea of free education for all of America's children is awesome. Let's not give up that tremendous opportunity and potential.

Some, like Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos, appear to want to hold most Americans back with poor social supports and lack of accessible, quality education. Their disinterest in funding quality health care or education demonstrates their will to have an uneducated, unhealthy, and unsupported populace. After all if the people are weak and ignorant, they will be easier to manipulate for their own gain and fame.

Most, I believe, still value an equitable, accessible, quality education for all of America's children. Like me, many more believe that free education should begin with pre-school and go right up through a college degree. I'd like to see Americans well educated, and I'd also be fine with educating most Americans for their professional and career degrees too. A well educated population is generally a more peaceful, prosperous, and healthy generation. I want that.

Now, however, with the pandemic, we have to think differently about education. I believe that we should put our education efforts into creating quality, accessible, child-friendly remote education until the pandemic passes. I also believe that we should support families' child care needs with a family "bail out" that gives families enough money to either stay home and support their children or hire help that will support their children. The mix of at-home quality child care and remote learning will spell success for both family and education. Later, when COVID-19 is under control, we can think more about how we will continue to support good family life and child care as well as how we might reimagine education to include both remote learning and real time learning. This is a positive long view to take.

Generally quick fix, reactionary responses do no one any good. Take Trump's "successful" economy--basically it was a quick fix solution to quickly elevate the economy so that it looked good, but like most quick fix solutions that "good" economy was built on a shoddy foundation of rollbacks of environmental protections, a widening wealth gap, debilitating deficit, and elevation of wealth mostly for the wealthiest Americans. That quick fix Trump economy fell to pieces quickly when COVID-19 came because like any quick fix, thoughtless solution, it didn't have a strong foundation.

The same will be true for education. Do we want to waste millions of dollars on uncomfortable PPE's, education models that treat children as lifeless robots, and petrie-dish schools where COVID-19 is likely to spread quickly from one person to another resulting in loss of educators and students? Obviously, I do not support wasting resources simply for a solution that looks good, but is actually a poor long term decision with dire results. Instead support families with needed child care money and support education by helping educators put together the best possible remote programs until this virus is under control. We can do this.

Time well spent? We can do better during this pandemic.

Rather than prepare for a vigorous, positive year of teaching and learning, America's teachers are spending their time thinking about how to save their lives and livelihoods as too many American leaders are working against teachers' right to work with safety and adequate supports. Why are these American leaders betraying teachers, and why do they think it's a good idea not to protect teachers in ways that provide teachers with the time and support to continue to hone their craft and ready for a dynamic year of teaching and learning?

It appears that too many American leaders are focused on their personal wealth and gain rather than the well being of the country. If they were focused on the well being of the country, they would be thinking seriously about how to help the American family and support America's schools too. A strong country depends on well-supported families and schools. The family is not the school, and the school is not the family--both vital institutions are critical to our country's strength and sustainability.

What will good leaders do?

Good leaders will rise up against the self-interests of me-first politicians who appear to support an uneducated, under-supported populace. Clearly, these heinous leaders know that when people are under-supported and uneducated, they are easy to trick, fool, manipulate, and take advantage of. Self-serving, corrupt leaders want us to be weak as that gives them greater ability to use corruption to elevate their wealth, power, and privilege.

Good leaders know that win-win solutions exist. There are ways to keep people safe and supported without risking their lives. Good leaders understand that the pandemic has laid bare the racism, corruption and poverty that exists in America, and they realize that this is an opportunity to work against that racism, poverty and corruption for the best interests of all Americans. They understand that this is a time when we must invest in elevating quality health care, education, homes, neighborhoods, healthy recreation, and family supports so that people across the country can live well despite the limitations and threats the pandemic creates.

If we could bail out wealthy banks just a few years back, we can bail out families right now so they have the money they need to care for their children, stay healthy, and live well. We can also invest in America's school first by making sure that students and schools have what they need for quality, remote education, and also by shoring up America's schools and campuses so that they are healthy environments for children to return to once the pandemic passes. Schools are not families or child care institutions, schools are the education cornerstone of American society--the place where children learn about the world around them as well as learn how to learn and think critically. A well-educated population will spell long term success for our country whereas an uneducated populace will spell disaster. Ignorance is as deadly or more deadly than a pandemic--we have clearly seen what the Trump team's ignorance with regard to the economy, the environment, and the pandemic has done to American society in just three short years. If we don't prioritize quality education now, this downturn will continue with devastating effects. Warehousing children and teachers in unsafe schools will not elevate education, but result in unnecessary illness and deaths and unsuccessful education.

We can do better, USA. Don't be fooled by the self-serving trumpeters who work to manipulate, oppress, and trick you into submission so that they have more money in the bank, greater power, and the most privilege. They don't care whether you live or die, and they don't care about the sustainability or success of America's lands or government--they're all about themselves. Instead, look for the leaders who strive for win-win solutions that support all Americans--the kinds of leaders that still believe in the dream of an egalitarian society--one where everyone has the chance to succeed.

Time to bail out American families

Meaningless words do not create a strong team.

When plans for a return to school are unsafe and insensitive to teachers, words of praise become empty and meaningless.

Many who laud teachers are the same people creating unsafe plans for a return to school. This is disheartening, depressing, and troubling, and demonstrates that we were probably mistaken when we thought we were working as a strong team to teach children well. In many ways, it feels like betrayal.

Educators across the country pour their hearts and souls into teaching--they work long hours, spend their own money on school supplies, attend countless professional development seminars, and do everything within their power to teach children well. Yet, at a time, when a pandemic threatens lives, so many in leadership positions simply discount the tremendous investment and commitments made by teachers by asking them to work in unsafe, life threatening conditions in the fall. These plans are similar to having a knife stuck into your gut since it's the sharp realization that your hard work and investment over countless years does not matter at all. What are educators to do?

Fortunately most of us have unions that work for our best interests. There are also many laws that protect us. So, with good research, we can be smart about the short term and long range decisions we make related to this.

The hard part is that the strong sense of teamwork needed to teach children well has been greatly compromised right now. When one part of the team is willing to compromise the other part of the team's safety and well being, the spirit and dedication to teamwork quickly erodes and that erosion will impact what we can do to teach children well.

Teamwork matters in every sphere, and good teams work to protect one another and elevate one another. Good teams don't pit one group against another for their own gain and fame. This pandemic time should be a time where we work together to make sure that everyone is safe and well cared for.

The government needs to stop seeing schools as child-care, but instead recognize that schools are centers of education. As far as the child-care crisis in the country, the government should give families a "bail out" by providing child care funds to every family so they can care for their children with hired help or by supporting one parent or co-parents to stay home and care for the children. Those that stay home with the children can manage the remote teaching that will occur, the kind of teaching that will continue to elevate children's learning throughout the pandemic. This is the safest, best response.

Unexpected detours

COVID-19 creates one unexpected detour after another. The latest is the multiple detours related to school as we know it. If this were a summer similar to every summer for the past 34 years, I would be preparing to meet my new students with a number of new and traditional teaching/learning learning experiences. I would be updating my classroom environment and teaching once again as I continue to reach for more brain-friendly, child-friendly teaching and learning. Each year has been better than the year before when it comes to what I could do with and for the students thanks to continued study on my own and with colleagues near and far. COVID-19, however, has interrupted that positive pattern by creating a number of not-so-positive potential fall scenarios.

How should teachers react to these detours? What should we do?

Educate yourself
As I look back at my career, the worst times were times when I wasn't well informed about changes and possibilities. Times when I gave in to plans and processes that were not positive for me or the children. The best times in education have been times when I was well informed about the potential that existed.

Create an if-then-or-else plan
Think about the many possibilities on the table, weigh the risks, and make a plan. For example, at this time, my plan includes the following steps:

• Educate myself about all the possibilities
• Follow the COVID-19 mandates to stay as healthy as possible
• Focus on personal health 
• Advocate for win-win fall plans--plans that will be safe, healthy, and positive for students, families, all school staff, and the community
• Understand the plans well, weigh the risks/rewards, and make the best decision for personal safety and good teaching/learning too

Fair share of sacrifice

COVID-19 creates a need for sacrifice, and in a good society, that sacrifice would be equally shared across class, race, geography, religion, and personal culture. Sadly, it appears that the pandemic sacrifice has been unequal. While the stock market still gains and house prices rise, many wealthy get wealthier, while many of less means suffer more. As society faces a pandemic, we need to look out for the rights, livelihoods, freedom, and health of all members of society. We have to spread out the risk, sacrifice, and opportunity too. No one should be asked to make a sacrifice that is too great or life ending. We need to provide the environments and protections to salvage as many lives as possible at this time. I want to think about this as I make decisions and advocate for what is right and good at this time.