Covid

[Peter Frary]

Crisis - Hawaii State Teachers Association

Here are the complexes and differential amounts that currently qualify: $3,000 Keaau Complex Pahoa Complex $5,000 Kealakehe

www.hsta.org

Hawaii teachers leave classrooms because of COVID-19

As the public school year gets ready to begin, there are concerns the COVID crisis will make Hawaii's teacher shortage even worse.

www.kitv.com

The UH System ain't the DOE and our faculty have a much better union, working conditions and pay. To land one of our teaching positions somebody usually has to die or retire! And no big revelation on Hawaii's DOE. They've been suffering a brain drain for decades and the trend has only intensified these past two years. But, yeah, I get that you want to say the world is going to hell in a hand basket and cry in your beer. So be it.

 

[Kaelrie]

The UH System ain't the DOE and our faculty have a much better union, working conditions and pay. To land one of our teaching positions somebody usually has to die or retire! And no big revelation on Hawaii's DOE. They've been suffering a brain drain for decades and the trend has only intensified these past two years. But, yeah, I get that you want to say the world is going to hell in a hand basket and cry in your beer. So be it.

I'm just saying you don't seem to have an accurate view of what's going on, sequestered in your Zoom-based university teaching gig. The UH campus does not accurately represent the world, or the country, or even the state of Hawaii. The pandemic is not a peaceful vacation full of fun and joy and time for self-reflection and a slower lifestyle. Millions are dying. Millions more are becoming homeless.

 

[Peter Frary]

Actually I don't use Zoom save for teaching, only for few staff meetings. Classes are traditional asynchronous format only with no video conferencing.

Heck I live and work near the epicenter of the hardest hit plague areas on oahu—places resistant to vaccine use and highly suspicious of government. But still see plenty of hope and possibility. Yes, I realize the Book of Revelation followers sincerely believe this is the beginning of the end. The plague, social unrest, vaccine passports and crazy weather patterns certainly display those apocalyptic underpinnings for those inclined to paranoia and a negative outlook. However, I believe people will eventually adapt, move on and prosper in a better world. We can start now with determination and joy in out hearts or give up and be depressed.

 

[Lifestion]

So I should quit and be part of your mainland stats? Hawaii ain't Texas or Mississippi. Over 6000 students and hundreds of faculty at our school and no quitter faculty. We're all still there, happy to have a wonderful a job in a great campus setting. Some part-timers were laid off (lower enrollment due to the plague). In life, one can choose to whine and dwell in negativity or try to make things better. I choose to work towards improvement and change.

This is a great point. I am happy to see Hawaii in a better state than most of the US states.

 

[Lifestion]

Actually I don't use Zoom save for teaching, only for few staff meetings. Classes are traditional asynchronous format only with no video conferencing.

Heck I live and work near the epicenter of the hardest hit plague areas on oahu—places resistant to vaccine use and highly suspicious of government. But still see plenty of hope and possibility. Yes, I realize the Book of Revelation followers sincerely believe this is the beginning of the end. The plague, social unrest, vaccine passports and crazy weather patterns certainly display those apocalyptic underpinnings for those inclined to paranoia and a negative outlook. However, I believe people will eventually adapt, move on and prosper in a better world. We can start now with determination and joy in out hearts or give up and be depressed.

This is where I divert from your opinions. I understand that you speak from your own perspective.

 

[Peter Frary]

K'den. Whatever you do, avoid Corona beer and never fly Delta Airlines...

 

[Kaelrie]

This is a great point. I am happy to see Hawaii in a better state than most of the US states.

7 days later, Hawaii has run out of ICU beds and ventilators and is now using portable morgue trailers.

 

[Pixiegod]

Well, playing the uke makes me feel better Just stating the obvious I guess.

 

[WebParrot (s2)]

Uke-wise, it's been a benefit. Practiced more, noodled more, spent all my "covid monies" (from savings from travel-not-taken and breads-baked-not-bought !).
Family-wise, very stressful watching my daughter's family. Two parents working from home in high stress jobs. New baby (6 months old at start of pandemic) with a 10 year old third grader trying to deal with no social growth (loves academics, playing basketball and reads voraciously). Spouse looses job and has to job search during lockdowns. Starts new job and CAN'T work from home; meaning daughter has to balance new baby/toddler care with full time job -at home- and 11 year old learning from home. We grandparents couldn't help much until after vaccines, and even then took the risk with kids exposures. I'm sure there are more stressful situations. This is just one among millions.

 

[Voran]

Guess Kaeirie you're the glass half empty type. Two things that humans are good at are adapting and surviving. Yesteryear will never return but we can work on making tomorrow better.

I decided to delay retirement as I've come to really like online teaching (music professor). Albeit I had an easier transition than my colleagues. I designed asynchronous distance ed courses in world music and music history years ago and thus didn't have to scramble to prepare online materials when covid hit. I was already teaching online. No teachers quitting en masse I know, and I know a lot of them. After a tough start 18 months ago, most of us are enjoying remote teaching. No traffic, no stress and no yelling at students to stop noodling during lectures. I think we'll eventually learn to live with out new reality and figure out how to make it better. Humans are resilient.

No offense but calling people 'glass half empty' is a bit much. I do my best to handle COVID quarantine, but I struggle some days...

 

[mikelz777]

I have indeed noticed that COVID has affected me mentally. I'm an introvert so social distancing was a snap. It's more or less a life style for me so COVID was an excellent justification for maintaining that lifestyle. But, life goes on and you can't live in a hole. When COVID hit, I continued to get paid but didn't work for about 2 months. This was still in the early stages of the pandemic when people were sanitizing their groceries and practically bathing in sanitizer after having left the house not really knowing exactly how the virus was transmitted. When I eventually had to leave the house to get work assignments, to go to the doctor or dentist or to get my vaccination shots I was having anxiety attacks. I had some Lorazepam left over from a medical procedure I had and I had to take a dose just to get my first vaccination shots and to go to the doctor and dentist to help me from having an anxiety attack. I hate to have to rely on something like that but if/when the need is there, they're great to have. It wasn't too bad, I had 6 low dose pills and I only used 4 in a 12+ month period. It's gotten a lot better and I don't feel as much anxiety as I did in the earlier stages of COVID. I guess I'd call what I feel now a cautious "normal" but I'm still aware that anxiety is lurking in the background.