Teachers on the verge of calling it quits

+ swiping left on dating apps' feminist claims US Edition - Today's top story: 'Teaching has always been hard, but it's never been like this' – elementary school teachers talk about managing their classrooms during a pandemic [View in browser]( US Edition | 26 January 2022 [The Conversation]( Perhaps no time has been noisier for public education than the past year or so. There have been persistent questions over whether students and teachers should learn together in a classroom, online or a mixture of both, and whether to wear face masks due to fears about the spread of the coronavirus. On top of this, a very vocal debate has persisted about what should be taught – with angry exchanges at school board meetings over issues such as critical race theory. Beyond the noise, though, teachers are suffering. Many feel overwhelmed with the demands of teaching students who’ve fallen behind to varying degrees amid the pandemic. Education researchers Laura Wangsness Willemsen of Concordia University, Saint Paul and Elisheva L. Cohen of Indiana University shine a light on how some teachers are [barely hanging on]( in a profession they say has become increasingly demanding because of COVID-19. Also today: - [Ukraine – the view from Russian media]( - [Does ambitious wildfire plan go far enough?]( - [How COVID changed the way we grieve]( Jamaal Abdul-Alim Education Editor Joy Harrison, a second grade teacher in Oakland, California, helps a student. Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP [‘Teaching has always been hard, but it’s never been like this’ – elementary school teachers talk about managing their classrooms during a pandemic]( Laura Wangsness Willemsen, Concordia University, Saint Paul; Elisheva L. Cohen, Indiana University Halfway through the school year that was supposed to be a return to normal, teachers are barely hanging on. Politics + Society - [It’s just a ‘panic attack’ - Russian media blames US for escalating Ukraine crisis]( Cynthia Hooper, College of the Holy Cross America is being ‘hysterical’ about Russian troop buildups near the Ukrainian border. That’s the official news in Russia, where citizens are getting government’s preferred view of the Ukraine crisis. - [Russia’s recent invasions of Ukraine and Georgia offer clues to what Putin might be thinking now]( Liam Collins, United States Military Academy West Point Since its independence 30 years ago, Ukraine has tried to balance its Western aspirations with its Russian past. Vladimir Putin is not ready to let go of the past without a possible invasion. - [US has taken FARC off its terrorist list, giving insight into Biden’s foreign policy]( Jason M. Blazakis, Middlebury The US State Department rarely removes terrorist groups from its Foreign Terrorist Organizations list. Most terrorist groups, unlike the Colombian FARC, don’t want to put down their weapons. Environment + Energy - [New federal wildfire plan is ambitious – but the Forest Service needs more money and people to fight the growing risks]( Ryan E. Tompkins, University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources; Susan Kocher, University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources After another devastating wildfire year in the West, the Biden administration has a plan to ramp up forest thinning and prescribed burns. Two foresters explain why these projects are so important. - [The herbicide dicamba was supposed to solve farmers’ weed problems – instead, it’s making farming harder for many of them]( Bart Elmore, The Ohio State University Farmers are stuck in a chemical war against weeds, which have developed resistance to many widely used herbicides. Seed companies’ answer – using more varied herbicides – is causing new problems. Science + Technology - [What is the best mask for COVID-19? A mechanical engineer explains the science after 2 years of testing masks in his lab]( Christian L'Orange, Colorado State University The CDC’s updated mask guidelines say that cloth masks offer the least protection from COVID-19. Differences in the materials masks are made from and the ways they fit are the reason. - [When will the COVID-19 pandemic end? 4 essential reads on past pandemics and what the future could bring]( Maggie Villiger, The Conversation None of our authors can see the future, but many do have expertise that offers insights about what’s reasonable to expect. Ethics + Religion - [The pandemic changed death rituals and left grieving families without a sense of closure]( Natasha Mikles, Texas State University A scholar conducted over 70 hours of interviews with people involved in the medical and funerary professions to understand the impact of changes in death rituals during the pandemic. Arts + Culture - [On dating apps, does it really empower women to compel them to make the first move?]( Riki Thompson, University of Washington Some users say Bumble’s efforts to shake up the gender dynamics of dating fall flat. Trending on site - [5 things to know about why Russia might invade Ukraine – and why the US is involved]( - [Batteries get hyped, but pumped hydro provides the vast majority of long-term energy storage essential for renewable power – here’s how it works]( - [Tonga eruption was so intense, it caused the atmosphere to ring like a bell]( Today's graphic [A chart showing the rates of diabetes and obesity among different racial and ethnic minorities.]( From the story, [How the pandemic’s unequal toll on people of color underlines US health inequities – and why solving them is so critical]( Like this newsletter? 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