Member Stories, COVID-19 Pandemic: Claudia Walters

“This is not just a short-term inconvenience.”

Claudia Walters from the Dearborn campus demonstrating the most ideal version of “Social Distancing” in Glacier National Park

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Who are you? What classes do you teach? At which campus?

Claudia Walters, a Lecturer IV, teaches Geography in the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters, on the Dearborn campus.

What has been your experience with transitioning to online instruction during the COVID-19 crisis?

I'm meeting virtually with my students. I have heard from students who are losing jobs (one lost 3 jobs). UM-Dearborn had a food pantry before this started for students who couldn't make ends meet. The universities are setting up online donation sites to help students with emergency needs. (UM Dearborn Student Immediate Relief Donation Page) I am finding that some students are falling through the cracks. I had one student who contacted me after a virtual classroom session because she didn’t know how to join. Another student missed the announcement of the virtual class meeting. She is full of anxiety and said that she is getting bombarded with announcements from instructors and the administration. She tries her best to read all of them, but she had missed mine. In one of my virtual class sessions, one of the students participated with his toddler on his lap. In another course, the student had lost her job. She was glad that she had been hired by Amazon, but her new schedule meant that she wouldn’t be able to participate in class discussions. I am trying to accommodate by posting recordings of the class session.

How has the university wide-transition to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted you personally?

My daughter moved back home from college yesterday. The few cafeterias that were still open were only providing takeout, her Engineering courses had all moved online, and the music program was canceled for the rest of the semester. My son came home Thursday because they cancelled their Engineering competition team and the research center won't let any of the students work. My husband and I have been working from home. We'll see how well our internet does with 4 people trying to work from home with virtual classrooms, etc. 

What have you learned in this process that you’d like to share with others?

The good students will adapt, but students who are struggling at the best of times are now faced with increasing difficulties. This is not just a short-term inconvenience.

If you are a LEO member who would like to share your story during this major transition period, please fill out this questionnaire: https://forms.gle/D4tP75CPZ5oXsvLdA