May 10, 2021

Teaching in a Pandemic: The Good, the Surreal, and the Challenges of Teaching Sociology Online

Colby King author photoTodd SchoepflinBy Colby King and Todd Schoepflin

In this podcast, Colby King and Todd Schoepflin share some of their experiences teaching this year. One example that stands out to Todd is the experience of teaching at home at the same time his kids had remote music and gym lessons. Home and work were blended in new ways. Instead of commuting from work and sitting in traffic, he could spend that time preparing dinner. Colby explains the consistent feeling of role conflict (“Am I a parent or professor?”) and feeling like he wasn’t thriving in either role. He also points to a valuable resource in his wife’s parents, who were able to help with childcare.

They characterize their approach to their students as more flexible than usual when it comes to deadlines for assignments.  Both of them aimed to be as compassionate as possible, and cite Peter Kaufman as an influence in this decision. Neither Colby nor Todd required students to show themselves on camera during class. They talk about how this choice impacted their teaching and their approaches for engaging students.

We hope this podcast will stimulate discussion about the variety of experiences we’ve had as teachers and students during the pandemic.

Listen to the podcast here:

Download Pandemic Teaching Podcast

Links to related reading:

Peter Kaufman, The Compassionate Sociologist

William Ellis, It’s Compassion, Not Capitulation, to Ask Less of Students Amid Disruption

Matt Read, Should Showing Faces Be Mandatory?

Margaret Finders and Joaquin Muñoz, Cameras On: Surveillance in the Time of COVID-19

Jillian Kramer, The Virus Moved Female Faculty to the Brink. Will Universities Help?

Jennifer Davis, University survey shows how COVID-19 pandemic is hampering career progress for women and racialized faculty

Comments

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment

Become a Fan

The Society Pages Community Blogs

Interested in Submitting a Guest Post?

If you're a sociology instructor or student and would like us to consider your guest post for everydaysociologyblog.com please .

Norton Sociology Books

The Real World

Learn More

Terrible Magnificent Sociology

Learn More

You May Ask Yourself

Learn More

Essentials of Sociology

Learn More

Introduction to Sociology

Learn More

The Art and Science of Social Research

Learn More

The Family

Learn More

The Everyday Sociology Reader

Learn More

Race in America

Learn More

Gender

Learn More

« John Fetterman, Working Class Hero? | Main | Child Poverty: Past, Present, and Future »