The Space Between: One Teacher’s Reflections on the First Month of Remote School
“That was the thing about being mentored by Coach Wooden—you never knew when it could happen, and you never knew what the lesson might be. But one thing was sure: with Coach, there was always a lesson.”
In the mid-1960s, Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr. (now Kareem-Abdul Jabbar) was one of the best high school basketball players in the country. Although he grew up in New York City, he decided to travel to Los Angeles to play college basketball for the now-legendary coach, John Wooden. “When I told Coach I wanted to study at UCLA, I had no idea how much I would learn,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote.
They would go on to win multiple national titles together, and both individuals are now in the Hall of Fame. But playing for John Wooden would prove to be a life-altering experience for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for reasons that went well beyond the basketball court. Before practices and after games, on long bus trips and between classes on campus, Wooden and Abdul-Jabbar could be found discussing poetry, virtues, and ultimately, Abdul-Jabbar’s decision to convert to Islam and to change his name. “It was a different kind of relationship than the one I imagined,” Abdul-Jabbar later wrote. “Much of what I know—what made me a smart man—has come from John Wooden.”
Although he may not have been aware of it at the time, young Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr. was taking advantage of what the Japanese refer to as ma—which translates to the space between things, or the pause. Ma implies that what happens between things, or what doesn’t even seem to be happening, is as or more important than what shows up.
Having now taught middle school online for nearly a month, I am finding that I’m able to convert much of my traditional classroom to a virtual setting. From Zoom breakout rooms, to Google Classrooms, to interactive polling, my students are mostly engaged and learning. In some cases, online participation is actually better, as ordinarily shy students seem to enjoy the safety of anonymous polls and the comfort of the keyboard. A recent “Rank the Seasons From 1-4” live results poll to start a 6th grade geography class produced a spirited debate, which led to a solid lesson, resulting in almost everyone completing the accompanying assignment.
Academically, we are making progress. It’s the space between the things that seems to be lacking.
Online, I don’t encounter students in the hallway between classes. I don’t help a frustrated 6th grader open her locker, and I’m unable to offer a snack to a student who is having a rough day. “Students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,” is a truth educators remind each other of frequently, and it is difficult to express empathy and compassion over the internet.
As a relative newcomer to Zoom and Google Classroom, I don’t claim to have all the answers. But having come to understand the importance of ma, I’m making a point to create space between the online things. My Zoom calls are open ten minutes before and after their scheduled start times and, while it doesn’t replace physical high-fives in the hallways, this time does allow space for hallway-style interactions. Some students are starting to take advantage.
Beyond that, the internet provides some promising (and free) tools. Poll Everywhere can stimulate non-academic discussions and debates, which can reveal personalities and create connections. Fantasy sports leagues can also be useful, as they provide “Did you see the game last night?” fodder for months. (Bonus: They have an abundance of embedded math lessons.)
Overall, I’m finding that if I want students to be positive and do their best, it’s in my best interests to do so myself. Children learn by example, and how I choose to respond to my challenges sends a message about how they might respond to theirs. I’m not aware of a class that teaches growth mindset directly, but the COVID-19 crisis provides us teachers consistent opportunities to demonstrate it—whether or not the camera is on.
A career educator, Sean Galvin holds a PhD in education from Eastern Michigan University and a Master's in education from the University of Michigan. Currently a middle school teacher for Battle Creek Public Schools, he has taught and run student mentorship and enrichment programs at both the high school and middle school levels. His dissertation covers the role of mentorship and student incentives in driving learning outcomes.