Meeting Students’ Needs Amidst a Pandemic

My Concordia professors always encouraged us to meet needs where we saw them. Though we couldn’t see the needs of our students as we were used to, we did our best to stay connected and meet new and different needs as they arose.

WHEN I GRADUATED from Concordia University in 2015 and took my first teaching job, I knew that there would be unexpected challenges. Professors often reminded us to be prepared for anything in the dynamic world of education. Somehow, I don’t think they had teaching through a pandemic in mind. But then again, none of us really did.

In March 2020, Redeemer Christian Academy in Wayzata (Minn.) did what almost every other school around the country did and shuttered the building. We prepared our students and families for what we believed to be two weeks of distance learning.

My staff and I scrambled to print off copies, pack up books, and calm our students’ fears. After a final gathering with our entire school to pray and sing praises to God, we sent our students home. Two weeks turned into four, which turned into the rest of the school year. Everyone adjusted daily to new Zoom classes, new methods for receiving instruction, new forms of communication, and the hopeful anticipation of returning to school.

My Concordia professors always encouraged us to meet needs where we saw them. Though we couldn’t see the needs of our students as we were used to, we did our best to stay connected and meet new and different needs as they arose.

Summer “break” was not exactly that. It was filled with meetings to plan and find creative ways to get our kids back to school. Distance teaching through the spring motivated us to make a commitment that we would do whatever was necessary to bring students back into the classroom.

Our return in the fall brought an entirely new set of challenges like creating new mask policies, adjusting classroom arrangements, altering daily schedules, becoming familiar with new technology, and learning new cleaning procedures. We are blessed with technology that allowed us to stay connected during the uncertain months, especially for students and families in quarantine so that they would not miss weeks of instruction.

However, I don’t think I’m alone in believing that there is no replacement for the teaching and learning done in a classroom setting. This is where relationships are formed, trust is built, and young learners can grow best. While our environment may have changed, my purpose to teach has not.

Amidst the challenges of returning to school this fall came an incredible growth opportunity. Redeemer’s enrollment grew quickly as the school year approached as it did for many Lutheran schools across the country. We welcomed these new students into our Redeemer family and I cherish the chance to share the love of Jesus with them every day. God opened a door for us to serve as a place of safety for these students. Educating students in person was our primary goal and we praise God that we have been able to do so all year.

— Story by Natalie (Pieper) Raabe, BA ‘15, MA ‘20, Principal at Redeemer Christian Academy in Wayzata, Minn. | Photo courtesy of Natalie Raabe