Chapter 2: Instructional Survival: A Qualitative Case Study of Elementary Teachers’ Experiences Teaching Remotely and Concurrently During COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a sudden shift to emergency remote instruction for millions of teachers around the globe. Teachers had to balance their new remote work with the emotional toll of the pandemic. This qualitative case study sought to understand the experiences of elementary school teachers as they navigated both remote and concurrent instruction during the 2020–2021 school year. Three elementary teachers were recruited for this study. Teachers completed two interviews and were observed three times during remote and concurrent instruction. The resulting data was analyzed over three cycles for emergent themes. The impact that COVID-19 had on teachers fell into two categories: instructional and emotional impacts. Instructionally, teachers utilized previously created lessons and adapted them to delivery to a digital video format. Teachers did not incorporate much new technology and relied on teacher-led instruction. The instructional impact was connected to the emotional impact COVID-19 had on these teachers. They experienced shock, fear, and isolation while having to navigate remote instruction. Teachers focused on instructional survival throughout the year, measuring their success by their ability to survive to the last day of school. Recommendations for remote and blended are explored as well as lessons that can be gleaned from these three teachers’ navigation of emergency remote instruction.