TLC: Teaching, Learning & Coping during Covid-19

In March 2020 our world of learning and teaching was flipped. Although we do not necessarily mean flipping into the innovative blended learning model which focuses on student engagement and active learning. For many of us, our teaching and learning strategies, habits, expectations, and comfort levels were turned topsy turvy as our entire academic routines were moved online within just a few weeks. The pivot was widespread across academia as instructors, faculty, and staff hastily met with instructional designers and academic technology services to get organized and transition their classrooms online. 

Students across all disciplines were also severely impacted. Wherever they might be sheltering-in-place, they were forced to stay and continue along with their studies and their lives. The Linguistic Society of America’s Student Ambassador team is represented by a diverse group of students: we are both undergraduate and graduate students from different countries and in various stages of our academic journeys. Many of us are simultaneously juggling responsibilities as students, instructors, researchers, even parents, and of course, as human beings. 

So, we polled our Student Ambassador community to learn about how we as a collective are managing our teaching, researching, and learning responsibilities, while also staying both physically and mentally healthy during this trying time. It is no surprise that our linguist enthusiasts came up with a myriad of innovative ways to keep learning and teaching, while also prioritizing self care. Our student ambassador team shared a wide variety of strategies and tools including podcasts, audio books, distraction-free apps, video, multimedia, specific tech tools, and much more. This 3-part series blog, organized with a little TLC, Teaching, Learning, and Coping, shares some specifics. 

Part 3. Coping

Yes, pivoting our learning and teaching routines online was a challenge. But perhaps the most arduous change was how it affected us personally, both physically and emotionally. Some may have felt a strain on emotions, unexpected anxiety, and worry. When suddenly placed in possibly a new space or routine, staying academically focused and productive can be a challenge, and so is maintaining a balanced lifestyle, such as work, school, and personal lives. 

Below we share five meaningful ways we explored to help us cope during these difficult times. You might consider incorporating some as well:                     

1. Keep your body moving
   
   It is essential to keep consistent physical movement as part of your daily routine. A body at rest stays at rest, and in order to give back positive energy and support to others in our lives, we must first prioritize our own well-being. For example, the 
   
   • Take daily walks through the neighborhood (free ✓)
   
   • Access free (✓) fitness classes on YouTube (such as Yoga with Kassandra, Yoga in Spanish, & Gym Virtual - Español)
   
   • Download free or discounted fitness apps (like @DownDog) (*the Covid-19 discounted trial may be over, but you still might be able to access a free trial).
   
   • Explore your network of friends or fitness organizations on social media to see which ones are hosting live streamed exercise, like Yoga, HIIT, OrangeTheory Fitness, etc. For example, Instagram @yogamovesus (free ✓), and various fitness instructors are offering free classes via Facebook/Instagram/YouTube Live.
   
   “I have been getting both my social interaction and fitness fix by participating in virtual yoga and personal training classes facilitated by certified instructors who are friends of mine. Many are donation-based or charge an extremely low rate. I love the variety in fitness I am exposed to, socializing with my friends (at a distance), and at the same time I am able to support them. I mix up my workouts with HIIT (all body weight, I love this book), circuits, different types of yoga (using minimal props), and walking, running, biking, etc. You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment to stay fit. I have yoga mats, resistance bands, dumbbells, a good pair of shoes, my bike, and my body. I’m set up for success!” - Lillian Jones, University of California, Davis

2. Stay curious
   
   Continue with personal and professional development through online and virtual platforms. For example,
   
   • Explore Timeout, which offers access to virtual museum tours, live streaming concerts, and much more (and most experiences are free ✓).
   
   “Rather than binge-watch the usual shows, my roommate and I have been exploring many of the other options that have recently become available (opera, theatre, dance, musicals, etc.),” - Samuel Jambrović, University of Toronto
   
   • Improve your communication skills
   
   Learning to listen, learning how to express yourself, learning to recognize when and how to speak and when not to, are all examples of communication skills that will support you in a myriad of situations. Many of us might be spending more time alone, or the opposite and find that our household population has increased exponentially. Or perhaps we are spending a lot of time online and in Zoom calls rather than in face-to-face settings. Either way, we are presented with many new opportunities and contexts to really be mindful and present about how important communication is in one’s personal and professional life. 
   
   Check out this general overview regarding Communication Skills for Workplace Success, and the LSA’s offering on Career & Professional Development Resources, as a starting place to improve communication for professional development. If you are interested in focusing more on your personal communication, such as improving your conversation skills, The Lost Art of Good Conversation by Sakyong Mipham, is an easy read with insight and advice that can be immediately put into practice. 
   
   • Leverage multimedia resources available in the digital space to develop your second (or third, fourth or fifth) language skills. For example, you might explore the following in your target language...
   
     - change the language of your social media
   
     - change the settings in your phone
   
     - search for gifs
   
     - text your friends
   
     - change the language of your computer keyboard
   
     - search for things on Google in your target language country/culture (i.e. www.google.com.mx, www.google.es, www.google.it, etc. *critical thinking exercise: how do search results vary by the language you use? How do the image search results vary? Can you learn, practice, and retain a vocabulary word by searching for images and videos in your target language?)
   
   • Check out the following apps, platforms, and plugins for language learning and practice:
   
     - Duolingo (now offering 95 different languages courses in 38 languages)
   
     - Schlaukopf.de (for those interested in learning or practicing German)
   
     - Babbel is currently offering 50% off a subscription. 
   
     - Netflix Language Learning plugin
   
     - Netflix Watch Party (Watch a foreign language film while chatting with others in your target language)
   
   “I have been taking advantage of my free time to improve my language skills. I am currently working on Korean and Spanish and they have also given me some good excuses to watch TV shows in Korean and Spanish on Netflix.” - Yanfei Lu, The University of Western Ontario
   
   • Learn a new skill (or refine existing ones)
   
   Watch YouTube tutorials on makeup application, new hair styles, changing a tire, threading a needle, cross-stitching, binding a book, furniture refurbishing, tying a knot, etc. Perhaps you might also practice your teaching skills by leading your own tutorial on something non-academic related. Do you know how to play the guitar? Teach us and others an easy song. Do you have tips & tricks for successful tomato sprouting? Produce a short video with your secrets! 
   
   • Get more ideas or share your own here on the LSA’s Resources for the Linguistics Community During Times of Social Distancing. 

3. Take brain breaks
   
   It is extremely important to give your brain a break! Our minds need a moment to relax and rejuvenate before hopping back into their projects or papers. For example,
   
   • cook and trial out new recipes (*some ambassadors even noted using recipes in their second languages!)
   
   • read books that are not for school
   
   “I try to read books that are not related to linguistics so I can rest my mind (mostly latin american literature)” - Maria Teresa Borneo, National University of Córdoba
   
   • meditate for five minutes (*if you are studying another language try finding a YouTube meditation video in your target language. For example, EasyZen is a YouTube channel offering morning and evening meditations in Spanish of varying durations)
   
   • sit outside for five minutes without looking at a digital device
   
   • double up on hobbies & housework
   
   “I found the audio version of several books I want to read on YouTube and listen to them while I am cooking, cleaning or working out at home.” - Yanfei Lu, The University of Western Ontario

4. Share the experience
   
   Who do you live with? Whether you have roommates or you live with your family, your partner, your kids, or yourself, make sure to dedicate time to relationship building with those with whom you spend the most time. Our current social state is new and at times it might be uncomfortable, frustrating, and even unnerving; and at the same time we can use it as an opportunity to spend time with our loved ones. In addition to taking advantage of this time to connect with our kin or friends, forging connections also makes it possible to share this strange time and experience with someone else.
   
   "As a mother of two and as a PhD student, it's been tough for me to focus on my work. I tried several times to stay focused but I got frustrated doing so. What I do now are; (i) teaching my children (ages 10 and 11) their school exercises (ii) taking them for a long walk in the evenings with their bicycles (iii) and working on my German. I also got involved a lot more in church activities virtually to constantly remind me that this period will soon pass."  - Priscilla Lola Adenuga, Goethe University Frankfurt

5. Soothe yourself
   
   Relieve worry or anxiety by engaging in a calming activity that makes you feel safe and joyful. For example,
   
   • cooking
   
   • gardening
   
   • laughing. Watch your favorite TV show or stand up comedy routine and just relish the pleasure of giggling, chuckling, or even rofling. 
   
   • home improvement projects. If you are going to be at home more often, why not make it your safe space in which you take pride, enjoy, and feel comfortable.
   
   “Something I'm doing personally is gardening at home: learning how to germinate and plant various seeds and take care of them. I now have tiny mandarin and lemon trees, green onions, dill, a pineapple, papayas, and a few other seeds still undergoing a miracle in their plastic cups.” - Valentyna Filimonova, Indiana University
   
   “I have started watching The Office which makes me laugh so much.” - Maria Teresa Borneo, National University of Córdoba
   
   “I can’t believe I have only recently started watching Queer Eye. It is such an amazing show! I think I experience all of the emotions at least once an episode. Even by myself, that show makes me laugh out loud all the time.” - Lillian Jones, University of California, Davis

The definition of coping implies that there is an end to something difficult. We do not yet know exactly when the end of quarantine or social distancing will be, but we do know that maintaining a healthy mind and body is essential, especially during challenging times. We are grateful for our many resources, opportunities, and for being able to share our experiences and suggestions with our community. 

We would love to hear from other LSA student members regarding creative habits you explored to stay mentally and physically balanced. Share in the comments below!

Please note-

*The authors, editors, and contributors of this blog post, as well as anyone affiliated with the publishing of this post (e.g. the Linguistic Society of America) assume no responsibility for harms which may be experienced should readers choose to engage in the health and fitness practices, or use the platforms or apps suggested above. Please refer to the CDC guidelines on physical exercise.

*The authors, editors, and contributors of this blog post, as well as the LSA, are not affiliated with any of the companies (i.e. tech tools or platforms) mentioned in this blog post, and have no partnership benefits or financial gain in the promotion/mention of them.